


A Memory Scavenger Hunt

by if_i_mae



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: (one-sided) Mipha/Link - Freeform, (past) Urbosa/Queen of Hyrule - Freeform, Blood, Breath of the Wild DLC Spoilers, Breath of the Wild Spoilers, Canon-Typical Violence, Champions Survive AU, Character Study, Drama, I promise, M/M, Major Character Death is Temoporary, Multi, Not Canon Compliant, OCs - Freeform, Sign Language, Slow Burn, ocs for past memories only
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-27
Updated: 2019-03-26
Packaged: 2019-04-08 17:20:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 44
Words: 222,019
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14110284
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/if_i_mae/pseuds/if_i_mae
Summary: A guard of ancient champions awaken from their one hundred year rest with no recollection of who they once were. They must learn about their old lives from unreliable sources and piece together the heroic tales they once lived if the Kingdom of Hyrule is to stand a chance against the looming threat of Calamity Ganon.Relationships, Characters, and Additional Tags will be added as the story develops.The story will be updated on a bi-weekly schedule. Check author notes on the bottom of the latest chapter to see when the next chapter comes out.





	1. The Great Plateau

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoy my first fic here on this site. I'll try not to drag this beginning out too long, since this story will cover the entirety of the game and maybe then some. It's a bit aspirational, but I've had a lot of fun with it so far :)

Darkness surrounds Link in all directions, waiting only for a moment before a brilliant light cracks through his eyelids. A voice beckons for him. For him to open his eyes. The light is blinding, but the voice persists. What is out there?

“Wake up, Link. Wake up, Mipha. Urbosa. Wake up, Daruk and Revali.”

There is an intricate pattern around a lighted hub on the ceiling. Link feels, what was a comfortable blanket, drain from all around him. His body grows heavy as he rests in the bottom of his shallow pool.

Everything is still somewhat strange. Sitting up, Link shifts the sleep out from his body. Never before had he felt so free in his joints. Never before had he felt….anything. Looking around, the room is large with several long tunnels leading to who knows where. Out of the pool, he walks over to the only locked door in the room. Near that door is a control hub? Something… He touches the surface of the screen, and panels pop up from the surface.

That voice again… It tells him that the device is a Sheikah Slate. That he should take it. Apparently, he has been sleeping for a long time and he would need it as a guild. Link picks up the Slate, and is surprised by the flashing lights that react to his touch. Strangely though, it seems familiar. Like any other object he must have held before. Maybe he has held it before.

“Who’s there?” A low, gravelly voice calls.

Link turns around while the panels on the hub turn back into place, and unlock the front door.

A hulking form takes up the entrance to a tunnel almost directly behind his old water bed. It shocks and frightens Link slightly. So large…

“Hello?” Link croaks hoarsely to the stranger. A moment pauses and Link thinks the figure must not have heard him, so he tries again. “Hello?”

The form comes closer to the water bed, and the light catches his orange skin and white mane. Blue eyes shine in concern. “Did you wake up here too?”

Link nods. He lowers his eyes to the slate in his hands and then back up at the oddly large man.

“Did you hear that voice from before? I’m Daruk.”

Link nods again. “I’m Link. I found this in that podium back there,” he takes the time to point behind himself, “I guess it’s our guild to the outside world.”

“I see,” Daruk says thoughtfully.

“So there are more of us,” A woman says from the corner of their eyes. She is also very tall, and her red hair flows down freely to her hips. Another person, completely red from head to toe, pokes her head out from her tunnel as well.

These people seem familiar to Link for the most part, but he swears he must still be dreaming when the last person to join them is just very plainly a bird. At least the quiet fish lady looked kind of person like. Bird people…. Ugh, got to focus.

“Is this all of us?” Daruk asks, looking at their filled out group. “Interesting.”

“Did you bring us here?” The red-haired woman asks Link, eyeing his Slate.

Link shakes his head as Daruk jumps in, “He only just found that Slate. See, this is where he slept.” Daruk motions to the sleeping platform. The bird person slowly nods, although his eyes are narrow. “I’m Daruk, by the way.” He mentions as an afterthought.

“I would be Urbosa. I heard you’re name from the girl earlier.”

“Did we all hear her then?” The red fish-person asks softly. Link nods as the bird and Daruk give affirming verbal answers.

“You’re name?” The bird asks, polite enough.

“Mipha. And yours?”

“Revali, a pleasure,” Link frowns at Revali’s swift tone. “Have you considered that you are not dressed at all? It’s rather indecent.” He tuts at the end, averting his eyes to the ceiling.

Mipha gasps and starts blushing for lack of any progressive action to take. Link glares daggers at the bird. They had all awoken in next to nothing. The bird, himself, only in briefs. Daruk was in a thong! It clearly isn’t any of their own faults.

“Must be clothes somewhere,” Link mutters before he looks around the shrine. He can hear Daruk introduce Link from back in the main chamber. Outside the previously locked door, Link finds chest upon chest filled with old clothes. However, as desperate as he looks, there doesn’t seem to be anything that would fit the small girl except a chain-linked belt from which a couple of empty sacks hung from. Link swears quietly as he goes back to what he assumes had been his own clothes.

“Find anything?” Daruk asks, still back with the others. His voice only has one volume, and Link guesses it’s loud. Could be worse.

“Yeah!” Link gathers all the clothes and heads back to the main hub. He drops his bundles on the floor, from there he picks up his shirt and her belt. Looking around, it seems that Urbosa had taken to body block any further eye contact with Mipha.

Link does not go behind Urbosa, her massive glare she gives prevents even wanting to do that, but he does meet Mipha’s eyes from over her back. “For you,” Link motions with the clothes to go behind Urbosa. Mipha takes them quickly, whispering a quiet thanks.

Link can still hear Revali clucking though, so he turns back to where he left the pile. In Revali’s wings he holds his bird pants and his weird bird corset. And though Revali seems to be also holding his tongue, Link still notices how he looks like he wants to say something about the sumo belt Daruk was studying. It was humongous, so there really was no one else it could be for. Nor anything else for Daruk to wear, since all that was left was Link’s pants and Urbosa’s shirt and skirt. Link makes a faux frown and uses a hand motion to egg Revali on to say something about it. Funnily enough, Revali doesn’t seem to have the balls to tell Daruk off like he had Mipha. Pathetic.

In silence, the group continues to get dressed. Daruk even leaves the room out right to make sure he is not made indecent. As they wait, it is glaringly obvious that Mipha is actually wearing Link’s shirt: it rides up her tall back. Link watches from the corner of his eyes as her and Revali seem to be making up their minds over what to say about it. Urbosa, thankfully, is minding her own business on the matter.

Daruk comes back before anyone can really start up though. Feeling bad for Mipha, Link meets her eyes and holds a finger up. At the entrance, he pulls her back while Daruk helps Revali and Urbosa over the small cliff edge.

Link and Mipha go back to the chests and he flips them around so that she can see there are no more clothes. “See? Nothing. That belt was it.”

Mipha frowns, but seems to be reassured in some way at least. “Thank you. And for the shirt. Revali…”

“He’s a dumb bird,” Link says bluntly, making Mipha smile.

“Next?” Daruk calls after them, and Mipha rushes over to get lifted over the side.

Daruk then lifts Link over and Link stays back to make sure Daruk can make it alright.

Outside the world is even brighter, and it’s a brilliant spring day for the forest way below the cliff edge they stand on. Everyone glares for a bit, trying to adjust to the light. Revali, who has been looking around for a while, mentions that he thinks there is someone sitting at the bottom of the hill. Fair enough, Link spots the figure soon after.

They make their way down the hillside. “Hail there, travelers,” An elderly man greets them. A pouch of apples are by his side.

Revali goes to pick up an abandoned apple that had ran off from the fire. “I beg your pardon! I believe that is my apple, you can’t just go around taking whatever you want!” Revali, having been rightly chastised (much to Link’s happiness), sets the apple back down near the fire. There is a tense feeling before the old man laughs it away. “Please, I was just pulling your leg. You made an easy target. Feel free to take what you need,” The old man says with a smile, making Revali’s eyebrows furrow together. He takes the apple back, and even bites into it out of what feels like pettiness. Link rolls his eyes.

“Here, an apple for you lot as well,” The old man offers and hands them out. He gets to Daruk and pulls the apple back, causing some confusion. He stands up, revealing a small boulder he had been sitting on. “For you, a rock?”

Daruk looks at the group in pure amazement before considering the rock. “You can’t be serious.”

The old man looks confused for a moment before he apparently realizes something and laughs, “You are a Goron, son. You’re people live by the rock. And off of the rock. It is the keystone of your diet,” he explains. He motions to the rock again. “For you?”

Revali puffs. Almost in a friendly way, he seems to try to hold Daruk back. “He’s pulling your leg. It’s obvious this old geezer just wants to waste our time.” He gives the old man a glare, while he only receives back a curious looking smile.

“I tell no lies, but believe what you will.” Daruk digests this fake sounding information with more than its fair share of attention.

Meanwhile, Link asks about the area. The old man goes off on another spiel that has both Revali and now Urbosa impatient to move on. By the time Link has him talking about the ancient temple in the near-distance, even Mipha is trying to nudge him along.

But, by the end of their conversation, Link had a shiny torch and Urbosa had went to swipe what was probably the old man’s axe as well. If Link had any idea how hard this stuff was to come by, he’d probably feel bad. But he had no point of reference to work from and he considered that good enough reason to be resourceful. Even with Mipha and Daruk giving them disapproving looks. At least Urbosa understands.

The temple seems like the most logical place to go, even if the old man said it was deserted. Link guesses they’re plunderers until they find out more. Before they can make it that far though, they hear that voice again. Everyone stops as it calls out for Link. It begs him to go to a yellow light on his Sheikah Slate. They all gather around as he pulls it out. She wants them to go almost exactly north-east. No one seems to have the inclination to part just yet, so they stay banded together.

Almost immediately they run into their first of the strange Bokoblin creatures. Mipha later describes them as rude and terrible monsters, but for the moment she is frozen with no weapon to protect herself. Urbosa quickly dispatches the monster before anyone has reason to act anyway. Her apparent skill leaves the group feeling a growing respect for her.

As they continue, monster weapons are dispersed and it becomes clear to them that they possess at least some hidden martial prowess. Though some more clumsy than others. Only Link seems to have a natural talent for anything that he can get his hands on. A talent that most, except Revali, seem to welcome warmly. Only Mipha is unable to handle the mallets the monsters drop. Link can see it in her form, it’s all wrong. For Revali, he found he shot arrows with ease. Nothing else was as effective for him, but the group was awed to see Revali flying up to shower arrows from above. Link had to give a grudging respect for that. Daruk and Urbosa find themselves keen to one and two handed weapons. Though Daruk treats two handed weapons as one handed, so did it really count? Link isn’t too sure.

Almost to the beacon on the map, Link looks up to a small hill before them. There appears to be something inside the hill, a bit of a cave maybe. He rushes to it, with Revali’s shrill voice behind him. Still on Mipha of all people, but now he’s on her lack of any weapon mastery. His tongue was starting to get Urbosa on the defensive for Mipha’s behalf. Link feels so much gratitude for Urbosa above all.

Inside the overhang of the hill, Link notices the similar architecture it shares with the place they had awoken in. There is even another hub. That voice tells him to place the slate into the slot. Remembering how it had rested before, Link places the slate on its podium. It flips in its slot, and the podium activates with a blue light. The ground rumbles under Link’s feet. He can hear the group yell from outside. The platform he has been standing on rises up into the air of its own volition. If Link had actually drank anything recently, he probably would have pissed himself. Thank the gods for small blessings.

Before he knew it he must be at least 7 to 10 stories up into the air. Rocks and boulders had crumbled all around him, and a twist of worry comes when he thinks about the people down below. Link takes in the newly formed map with a quick eye, before he pockets the Slate again.

“Remember…” The voice beckons. If Link focuses, he imagines that it must be coming from the light in the castle way off in the distance. Pulled between wanting to check on the group and the voice, he stays in place. “Try to remember…” Link struggles, but then walks over to pay more attention to the castle. The light in the castle…it resembles the light that had woke him up. Was that her?

“You have been asleep for the past one hundred years.” The tower shakes again, and Link can’t move any closer to the edge without fear of falling off. A dark menacing gas shifts from beneath the castle.

“The beast…When the beast regains its true power, this world will face its end.” Panic races through his heart. The black smog was taking shape into a monster, a head appears at the end of its dragon-like body. Its horrible face rears and its jaw opens in the daylight. A painful sort of fear takes hold of Link, thinking maybe that the beast will leave the castle. Its body mashes back together in its own smog. Never a stronger relief was felt.

“Now then…” The light becomes brighter, demonstrating its restraint on the beast. “You must hurry…before it’s too late…”

“A hundred years, huh…” Link spooks when he hears Revali whisper out his wonder. The bluebird had found a perch nearby on the tower. Link nods his agreement and looks down. Revali notices his concern. “They’re alright. There was another surprise. Daruk has a gift: a powerful magic. He shielded us from the rubble you oh so ceremonially disposed onto our heads. Honestly, you’re lucky I’m not too mad about that right now.” That sounds like a promise for an argument later on. Great.

“A magic gift?” Link asks about instead, not wanting adversary after the crushing blow that this whole ordeal was.

“Yes, he created a magical barrier to protect us. It was quiet extraordinary. Coming from him,” Revali snuffs, still staring out over the view. Link had had it.

“What gives you the right, Revali,” Link marches forward, finger extended. He prods Revali in his corset. “All you have done since we woke up is try to use as much bullshit as you can to make us all feel horrible.  It hasn’t even been a day yet, and I’m fed up with it. Either leave us be, or leave.”

Revali’s eyes narrow. “Just leave, hm? Wouldn’t miss me a bit, stranded up here on this tower, would you?” Revali lifts his wings, and bursts up into the air. “I’ll be waiting for you to beg for forgiveness down at the ground level, chickling.” Revali smirks and nose dives downwards.

Unbelieving, Link leans over to watch as Revali neatly arranges himself beside everyone else. There he goes, telling lies too! Oh, wow… Link grips the edge of the tower. That is a long way down. Revali looks up and gives him a genial wave. Link flips him off before standing up again.

Breathe. Okay, look. Just look around. There was the podium. There are also some holes in the floor. Link goes to investigate and sees that there are platforms underneath each hole. Could he…just jump down to them? Would that hurt?

He circles them a little bit before he takes a deep breath. If he got stuck down there at least he wasn’t stuck up here.

Oof! A rough landing, but…all was fine. There even seems to be more platforms farther down. The barring on the tower suggests he may be able to climb down. However, he doesn’t want to fall while climbing. It was just safer to jump through the platforms.

When he reaches the ground, he’s greeted by a lot of whooping and cheers. Daruk even picks him up in excitement for his achievement. “Great work, little man!”

Link is gently sat back down and he meets Revali’s eyes. “Leaving?” He simply asks.

Revali hesitated. Then crossed his arms. “Of course not.”

Everyone pauses in confusion over the exchange. Eventually, Mipha speaks up, “Oh Link, you missed Daruk’s new gift? Won’t you show him, Daruk?” She looked eagerly up at the Goron.

Daruk smiles and claps his fists together, a large barrier surrounds him. “I call it ‘Daruk’s Protection’. Pretty neat, right?”

Link nods enthusiastically.

Urbosa shifts her weight and rests her chin on her hand. “Maybe we all possess some magic of our own. Wouldn’t that be something...” Link agrees at the wonder in that, but his mind shifts back to the castle.

“The castle… Do you guys think we’re related to that?”

The group focuses on Link. The silence was tense, but meaningful. The voice acted like it was their responsibility to tame that massive beast.

“We should learn more about it first, before jumping to conclusions,” Urbosa finally amends. Everyone agrees and the group relaxes.

As they chatter, Mipha gets distracted by something behind Link. He watches as she squints upwards. “What is… Oh! That man is flying!” Everyone turns then, and sees the old man floating down towards them.

“Hello all,” He greets as he puts away his large flying contraption. It folds together neatly into his pockets. “Strange, all these towers just lifting up, isn’t it? It’s like a long dormant power has just awoken throughout Hyrule…”

“I’m sorry, I believe we did that, sir,” Mipha says, stepping closer to the stranger.

“Oh?” The old man’s face scrunches together. “May I ask how so?”

“This Slate. I must have activated them all,” Link says, lifting his Sheikah Slate for the man to see. “I ended up all the way up at the top of the tower when I used it.”

“Really? Odd slate. Did you…hear anything or see anything strange up there?”

“A voice,” Link ascertains.

“We have all been hearing this same voice, since we woke up,” Mipha explains. “She calls to us.”

“Do you recognize the voice?” The old man asks, serious as the day.

“I don’t,” Link answers while looking at the others in the group. All of which shake their head or hum negatives.

“I see. Unfortunate. I assume, however, that you have seen the monstrosity shrouding the castle,” He answers, leading their eyes back to the veiled capital.

“It is an ugly beast, for sure,” Revali mutters, which most agree to.

“That is Calamity Ganon. One hundred years ago, that horrible entity brought the kingdom of Hyrule to ruin.”

“Calamity Ganon, huh…” Daruk says while rubbing his chin. “I couldn’t imagine the fight that must have been.”

The old man smiles sadly, which only Mipha notices. The rest still watch as Ganon can be seen drifting around the exterior of the castle. “It was a war. It appeared suddenly and destroyed everything in its wake. The amount of innocents that were lost is innumerable.”

“A massacre then…” Revali clucks.

“Indeed,” The old man’s brow furrows. “For a century the symbol of our kingdom, Hyrule Castle, has contained the beast. If only barely. It festers there, waiting to build its strength so that it can unleash its blight once again. It would appear that the moment is fast approaching.”

Link feels his chest tighten. The death, destruction…it would all be back?

“I must ask you,” The old man turns to Link, a glimmer in his eye. “Do you intend to travel to Hyrule Castle?”

Link remains silent, a thundering in his heart makes him feel like he would never feel okay again. Revali wraps a wing around him then. “We do intend to,” he replies for the group. Even though none of them agreed to this, none argue it either.

But Mipha does speak up, “It would be at great risk, though. We are not very well equipped for the journey ahead.” Her eyes meet some of the group’s. “We barely know who we even are.”

The old man gives her a smile. “I had a feeling as much. But here on this plateau, we are surrounded by steep cliffs. There is no safe path downward. To jump… Well let’s say only the Rito and the Goron would survive.” Revali and Daruk perk up.

“A Rito, am I?” Revali asks. 

The man nods toward Revali before continuing. “A paraglider like mine may make the trip much easier for all.”

“Give us yours then,” Link blurts, to the frowns of most in the group. 

The stranger laughs, “In a hurry, I see. Ah, but I will not be parted with my paraglider for free. Here, I will trade my paraglider for a small sum of treasure that slumbers nearby. Follow me, please.”

The old man starts walking north, leaving the group no option but to follow. Link watches as Revali’s wing slides off his shoulder and the Rito heads off to keep stride. Strange bird.

“I do not know what you’re argument with Revali is,” Mipha speaks to Link. In the back of the pack, no one is listening. “But I do not think he meant to push you so far. I’d say you chastised him well.” She offers him a wiry smile and warmth blooms in Link’s chest. What a sweet girl.

“Enough about Revali. How come you haven’t asked that guy to tell you what race you are? I know you want to,” Link adds to make sure he keeps her on his hook.

Mipha flusters, “It’s a peculiar question to ask isn’t it? Why not you? You seem his kind too, I’m sure he would say.”

“He would tell you too. He’s already told Daruk and Revali.”

Not watching, Link bumps into Urbosa’s still back. She looks back at him with an unimpressed face. He rubs her arm in a mimic of an apology, which she responds to with a smile and a shake of her head.

“There,” The stranger gets the groups attention. He is pointing to a glowing orange building. “That structure that is now lit with that strange energy. It activated when the towers rose. I believe such a place would house a decent treasure, wouldn’t you?” He chuckles to himself while the party studies the structure. “Yes, treasure for the paraglider. A fair enough trade.”

“I see,” Daruk nods with a hand at his chin, scratching it in thought. “We’ll see what we can do for you, sir.” And then Link just stands and marvels as Daruk casually picks up a rock and uses his blunt teeth to completely demolish the rock in his mouth. “Mm, you were right about these rocks. They have good flavor.” The old man bellows a laugh, while everyone stays amazed for a few more moments.

Urbosa was the first to snap to and she makes great strides to travel around the pools of water separating them and their destination. Link follows suit though the realization of how strong his Goron friend still shocks him.

Upon their regrouping at the building, they notice another podium for Link’s Slate. Link moves the Slate over the surface, and the map registers to allow access and something else it refers to as a ‘travel gate’. The map names the place Oman Au Shrine.

“It doesn’t feel right to be robbing a shrine, does it,” Revali remarks drily as the steel bars slide open. For once, Link agrees with him.

However, there is no tunnel in this building. Upon looking around the inner part of the shrine, the circular floor starts to decend. Daruk and Revali watch in disbelief as Mipha, Urbosa, and Link sink down underground through blue vapors.

The platform lands safely at the bottom. Both Link and Mipha are gripping to Urbosa’s two strong arms for some sense of bearings.

An older, more serene voice echoes through the room as they step off the platform. “To you who sets foot in this shrine… I am Oman Au. In the name of the goddess, Hylia, I offer this trial.” The voice fades as it softly echoes off the walls.

“Is this a shrine or a training ground,” Urbosa mutters while she surveys the room.

There is another podium that Link hurries too. A rune is added: Magnesis. Neat.

Link fiddles with the controls with both Urbosa and Mipha over his shoulders. Turning on the rune makes the room around them pink, and if he points the Sheikah Slate towards the metal slates on the floor, they turn yellow. Experimentally, he picks the metal slate up and they all watch in surprise as it flies up and then falls back down. Both Mipha and Urbosa take turns, and with Mipha’s steady hand, she even lets Link ride the metal slate on over the high-walled railing blocking one section of the room from the other.

They regroup after Mipha and Urbosa have taken the lower-level tunnel. On the other side there are more slates to magnetize and even a chest with an old halberd inside.

Once they make it to the metal doors, Urbosa uses the Sheikah Slate to swing them wide. On the other side there sits a very skinny individual. Upon further inspection, they find the person to be deathly skinny. Mipha chokes a bit to prevent herself from vomiting at the sight. Urbosa places a gentle hand on her to rub circles into her back.

Link takes the initiative to try figuring out the capsule. Mipha and Urbosa come stand behind him patiently on the stairs behind him. They have to stifle their coughs when a small touch from Link’s hand brakes the seal separating them and the mummy. A reek smell fills the air. 

The serene voice comes cleaner though, obviously coming from the mummy. Though their mouth does not move. “You have proven to possess the resolve as a true hero. I am Oman Au, the creator of this trial. I am a humble monk, blessed with the sight of the Goddess Hylia and dedicated to helping those who seek to defeat Ganon. With your arrival, my duty is now fulfilled. In the name of Goddess Hylia, allow me to bestow this gift upon you… Please accept this Spirit Orb.”

From Oman Au, a light pulls out from their core. It concentrates once outside of their body in the shape of a purple orb with the familiar mark that must be Hylia’s. Then suddenly, it absorbs itself into Link’s chest. Link hears Mipha and Urbosa gasp as he watches the white light fade from where the orb hit. The strangest feeling overcame him. He now possesses what could be Oman Au’s soul. It was his now, and he kept it close to his own. A safe place for such a precious gift. It was only too bad he would have to trade it for a material object soon.

“May the Goddess smile upon you.”

The shrine then casts the trio in a blue light, and they blink their eyes in the bright light of day. Afternoon is hitting the plateau.

“How did it go?” Daruk asks by a fire place he and Revali must have built in their absence.

From the shrine, the plunderers go to sit heavily by their comrades. “It was something else, alright,” Urbosa says heavily. From her hip pocket, she pulls out an apple to roll into the fire.

“Well don’t leave us in suspense. Speak!” Link gives Revali a hard look for his pushiness. Revali coughs into his wing with an added wince. “Please, pray tell what befell you.”

“It was just a small trial,” Mipha eases into the conversation. “The monk who was in the shrine gave us a rune for the Sheikah Slate.”

Revali and Daruk give her interested expressions, which Urbosa waves off, “It makes it so we can pick up metal objects. No weight limit has been found yet, but it can handle a lot.”

“The monk, though…” Mipha looks sad as she picks up where Urbosa trails off. “Oman Au was their name. They were…”

“Gross,” Link says simply.

Urbosa gives him a pained look. “Not how I would put it, but being mummified like that sure doesn’t make one shine in the moonlight.”

“A mummy!” Daruk erupts. “That’s amazing! You talked to them then? What were they like?”

“They looked like they had starved to death in that shrine. For their Goddess Hylia,” Urbosa says simply. Mipha’s hands make fists in her lap. “They were dedicated to their cause. And now we have their…soul is it?” Urbosa and Mipha look to Link, whose eyebrows are scrunched together in thought.

He just sighs and shrugs. “Feels weird. I’m not sure if that is it, but it could be.”

“Feels weird? How do you possess a soul anyway?” Revali asks, clearly perplexed beyond reason.

“It’s in here,” Link points to his chest. “Doesn’t feel like much. But I can be aware of it. Maybe even…” Link centers himself in a crossed-legged sitting position. With some focus, he pulls out the Spirit Orb from his chest.

Daruk’s breath comes out in a breeze that makes the fire shutter. “Wow…”

“Oh, that old man, he’s coming over here,” Mipha whispers quickly, looking over to where he was walking from. He waves and smiles at them as he approves. Meanwhile, Link secures the Spirit Orb again back inside his chest.

“I see you have managed to get ahold of a Spirit Orb,” he smiles. The group grimaces in kind.

Revali’s eyes narrow. “How did you know what was in the shrine?”

“A fair question,” The old man starts. He comes to sit at the circle. With his cane sat at his side, he continues, “Back, before the Calamity and a long time ago before, there was a highly advanced tribe called the Sheikah. Of which, that Slate on your hip is named after.” He motions to Link then, who brings out the Sheikah Slate to admire. “The great power of their wisdom saved this kingdom, time and time again. Their advanced technology had vanished, however. Or so it is said. It is interesting to think…how something like that survived all this time, hidden away in a shrine.”

Link puts away the Slate again. Urbosa has taken out her apple to eat and they all are listening avidly.

“These shrines are tucked away in numerous places all across the land,” The old man continues. “On this plateau alone, I believe there are at least three more.” Mischief gathers in his eyes then. “Bring me that treasure from each of those shrines and I will give you my paraglider.”

Revali squawks and the rest of the group carry this outrage.

“That wasn’t the deal,” Mipha says very calmly, but sternly.

“So there are even more to get now?” Daruk asks with a frown. 

“Yes, I suppose I did change my mind. I like my paraglider. For young go-getters like yourselves, it should be no problem in any case.”

The old man continues to babble nonsense about how to locate the shrines with ease and even some other functions of the Sheikah Slate that seem like very suspicious knowledge for some old man to know about. He even makes Revali and Link go back up the tower. At least Link got to teleport there this time, but it was a small reprieve in this ridiculous runaround they had been caught up in. How did an old man like him even get up on the tower?

“Leave an old man his secrets.” Suspicious old man.

Revali and Link regroup to the previous shrine to find Urbosa fighting a pair of skeletons. Daruk stands to the side, keeping a barrier up over himself and Mipha. They had learned recently that sometimes it was better to let Urbosa have at it. The skeletons are dispatched with ease.

“Are we really going to let that old guy send us on a goose chase?” Urbosa asks with a huff. She wipes some sweat from her forehead.

Daruk let his barrier down. “Why don’t we have Revali take you guys down one by one? I’ll be fine rolling down the incline on my own.”

Revali goes to scavenge from the skeleton’s debris. Everyone is mulling over what they should do next. Finally, Mipha speaks up. “But where do we go then? We don’t know where home is. Where our families are.” She looks at all of them, a little desperate. “Will we just go our separate ways?”

Urbosa goes to calm her. “No of course not. Hush girl. I’m not leaving you to the wilds of this world. And she has a point. Where would we go?” Mipha under her arm, she pulls the smaller girl closer to her chest and rubs her cheek absently.

“The land sprawls out from all sides,” Revali adds. He had gathered everything, not sure what would be useful and what wouldn’t. “Let’s sleep on it and see what we think over breakfast. Looks like we’ll be fine for tonight: the weather’s warm and clear.”

Most nod or hum. The night came with a well welcomed rest.

In the morning, the party gathers around their little fire. Frowns paint all of their faces while fish sizzle on the open flames.

Daruk takes a luxurious chomp of a boulder in his hand.

Mipha huffs out a sigh. “We need to learn more before we leave. It isn’t practical, but that stranger is the only person we’ve encountered so far. We must be able to get more out of him before doing anything rash.”

Frustrated, Urbosa grounds the palms of her hands on her forehead. Revali pokes a fried bass onto a cleaned tree branch.

“Couldn’t you scout for us, Revali?” Daruk asks casually. “Anyone, but him would be preferable at this point.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure,” Urbosa raises. “Who knows what the people know after a hundred years. And what if there aren’t that many people left to begin with?” Daruk cringes, but nods his head in understanding. “That man seems to understand what we’re going through. I admit it’s fishy. But maybe there is a point to his madness we just haven’t gotten to yet.”

More sighs all around.

Link, having ate his fill, stands up. “We should train. Do the shrines. I’d like to get more runes if we can.”

Revali nods and throws his stick to the side. “I’d like a try at that sword you picked up yesterday. It looks easier than club wielding.” Link grunts and swaps with him.

That’s when Link remembers about the halberd. He also pulls that out of his storage. “We should practice with this. We haven’t used anything like it yet.”

“Why don’t you show us first?” Mipha says, baked apple in hand. She blushes then. “I mean, you’re so good with everything else. You can probably use a spear just as well.”

Link shrugs and gives a few thrusts with the spear. His stance changes substantially from usual, and his balance feels off. It’s doable, but worrisome. He frowns down at the halberd. “Feels off. Maybe it’s the end of it. Revali, you try?” Link offers the halberd.

“Sure, maybe this will be another one of my amazing skills?”

He stands and takes the spear graciously. He gives a few thrusts, and Link hasn’t even sat down yet and he can see that it isn’t an instant instinct. “Ugh, stupid thing! I wouldn’t be able to aim with this to save my life.”

“Let me try,” Mipha surprises the group. Normally, she hadn’t been keen to try the weapons after her first few failures. She relied on the group almost completely yesterday. But looking at the halberd, her eyes sparkle.

Revali avoids eye-contact while he hands off the halberd. The moment she put both of her hands on the rod, Link sees it. He jumps up with a shield and sword in hand.

“Spar me?” he asks playfully. To his surprise, Mipha looks excited.

“Try me.”

At first he lets her just hit his shield a couple of times. Each hit gets stronger and she grows more confident that she won’t miss. Feeling certain in her, Link gives a swing out with his sword. She jumps to his right easily, and her spear point pokes him gently in the side.

Link gives Mipha a large smile and she giggles.

“Keep it!” Urbosa smiles from her seat.

“Yes,” she says with a huff. Her eyes stay focused on Links with a smile on her lips. “I think I will be doing just that.”

Link smiles fully at her. Face warm from practice, he turns from her eyes to focus on the Sheikah Slate’s map. On his peripheral he can see Revali trying to settle his feathers.

“So another shrine? I’d like to come in this time if you don’t mind,” Revali calls. The bluebird stands and finds a place next to Link’s shoulder. How annoying. Link tries not letting it get to him. Revali has been keeping his negative comments to himself. That’s all Link had wanted.

“Yeah, the one in this ruined area,” Link points vaguely at a shrine just to the south. “Should be easy to get into.”

Link looks up only to see Mipha looking warily at the pair of them. He raises an eyebrow, and she just places her halberd on her back with a sigh.

Still sat with Daruk, Urbosa was stifling the leftover flames from the fire. “Hey, Mipha, why don’t we have a girls’ day. Let the boys play adventurer with those awful monks.” Mipha sends her a grateful smile. “I’ll hunt, you fish. We should get plenty for the next couple of days.” Urbosa stands up and brushes the dirt off her plain skirt. “If you need us, we will be in the forested area west of here.”

Link shrugs and gives them a nod.

“Sure you don’t want me along?” Daruk laughs out. Urbosa quirks an eyebrow and Daruk gives her a good-natured back pat, making her breathless for a moment.

Looking at his party, Link feels like if there wasn’t a family out there for him, this group had the potential to fill those roles easily. Not that he hopes he will have to replace anyone with anyone else. No one is interchangeable. There is something to say about the familial-like bonds that form from surviving in the wilderness with a group of people.

And for all of that, he was devastated when it turned out he had lied about the ease of access to Ja Baij Shrine.

“It’ll be easy: he said,” Revali screeches as he plays bait for the fourth machine in this hell garden. “It’s vacant: he said!”

“Shut it, bird brain!” Daruk bellows after having his latest barrier shattered. They were coming back weaker and weaker. Link worries they won’t be able to actually reach the shrine. Or make it back out again.

Then his worst fears occur when they find their entry to the shrine is blocked by a wall of boulders.

“Shit…” Daruk pants from behind Link. The only machine in eye sight was focused on Revali, but who knew how long that would last. Link watches as Revali nose dives away from yet another beam of light. They meet eyes, and Revali’s widen when he sees the problem. Link watches as Revali’s eyes travel over some other parts of the area.

He dives down toward them.

“Revali-!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My goal with this story is to update on a weekly or bi-weekly schedule. I'll give a heads up down here at the bottom for which one it will next time. The next chapter will come next Tuesday evening as well, so look out for it then!


	2. The Great Plateau

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize in advance if the npc dialogue seems a bit uninspired. For most of it, especially the king, I simply took their original dialogue and changed it when necessary to address the group. I felt like it was easier that way, to prevent any inconsistency, but if you guys have any issues about that then by all means tell me how to change that in the comments! 
> 
> Trigger warning: mentions of blood and description of skin-deep wounds. 
> 
> Also I promise, haha, no more cliff-hangers for a long time to come.

“Move!!” It’s the only warning they get before the laser nearly misses them. Daruk’s shield just barely keeps the largest of the boulders from hitting Link and himself when the laser from the guardian destroys the rock wall behind them. Link can’t see where Revali is, but they don’t have the time to check the rubble. The red beam is focusing on them now. It’s the best they can do to make it to the other side of the archway before it shoots.

And there it is: Ja Baij Shrine. What a load of shit.

Revali! Link searches frantically for him and sighs in relief when he sees the Rito huffing against the shrine’s outer wall.

Daruk laughs heartedly. “Could’ve killed us, bird brain!” he says with a smile.

Revali gives a weak smile back. His chest was still noticeably rising up and down. “I didn’t though, did I. I’d say that was rather a job well done, if I may say so myself.”

Daruk laughs louder. Hurts Link’s head a little. “You always say so, Revali. But you’re right. Thank you.”

With a groan, Daruk gets up to check out the shrine’s podium. Soon enough, they all quite literally stuff themselves into the elevator. The bird reek makes Link feel just a slight regret at bringing them both. But what can you do.

Daruk and Revali both agree that the monks really are amazingly horrible. The bomb runes were worth it though. They decide to simply teleport back to their home base instead of risking more skin to the hell abbey.

The first thing the guys notice when they get back to Oman Au are the several jewels surrounding Urbosa. She uses the ends of her shirt to polish the stones, still very much in the rough. The next thing they notice is a pot on the fire that the girls had probably nicked from some other campsite. Bokoblin made, for sure. Bass is frying alongside some mushrooms. The third, and regrettably the last thing they notice, is that Urbosa and Mipha are utterly covered in scraps, bruises, and wraps of fabric that prevent them from bleeding openly. Still they look like they could start seeping in some areas if not rewrapped before the night’s end.

“Oh wow,” Daruk starts, giving them a worried look. One that Link mirrors in turn. “I was going to say we just had the roughest time out there, but just looking at you two says otherwise. What happened during the hunt?”

Urbosa shrugs, lifting her shirt even more. Who knew a stomach could be so chiseled. “Big ass rock in the woods.”

Mipha nods her agreement as she stirs the pot. The guys join them in their comfortable leisure.

“A…rock beat you two up,” Revali drawls. He seems reluctant to be critical, but also looks like he has something very sour in his mouth at the same time. It makes Link smile. Dumb bird is too opinionated for his own good.

“It was a huge rock: like Urbosa said,” Mipha smiles, and gives Revali a mischievous smile. “Its arms that it flailed about made it especially tricky to kill.” Revali sits back with his beak clenched shut. “Luckily, they have this weak spot on their backs. It looks like a normal deposit of rock.”

“Took all afternoon to kill that thing,” Urbosa laminates. She had put her last amber down onto her modest pile. “I was lucky Mipha was there. Taking turns, we were able to climb up its back to stab at its deposit.”

“Amazing…” Daruk says in awe. His eyes flicker down to her jewels then back to Urbosa. If she hadn’t been watching him, she probably wouldn’t have noticed. But naturally, she did. Her eyes narrow. Daruk frowns, but he rolls it off. “Sounds better than what we did anyway.”

“Hold that thought, please,” Mipha begs, and she reaches behind her. She pulls out some foot long chunks of wood, and what seem to be cloth wrapped shivs made from what was probably her broken halberd. “I know this is a lot to ask out of everybody after today, but I had gathered these pieces of wood to make some bowls out of. After that boulder monster, however, I did not get enough time to work on them and I had just barely started cooking before you all came back.” Reaching out, she hands everyone a shiv and some wood. “Please forgive me for putting this on you all.”

No one complains and Daruk gives her a nudge. “Don’t apologize. I’m sure it’s the least they could do after everything you’ve done for us today.” Link hums in agreement.

For a time, they spend the evening whittling with Daruk sprinkling in the events of their adventures at Ja Baij. Urbosa gives Revali an appreciative eye when he gets to Revali’s usage of the guardian to unblock the entrance. Revali preens under her attention, so she cuts it rather short. Still he preens some more.

Most had only just finished carving out the inside of their bowl when the food was proclaimed ready. It is agreed that that completing the carvings could be finished later. With a mouthful of fish, Link remembers his present for Mipha. “Look,” he says simply while pulling out a traveler’s spear from his storage. “You want it?” She looks relieved, probably not having even a spear to her name now and she takes it gratefully. In time, he is able to prod her more on her experiences with spear weapons. Around them, Revali cleans up and Daruk is already in a rock-related comatose.

Urbosa watches them carefully as she rewraps her wounds, but Link gives her a worried look. “That could use a wash. Wait.” He wanders over to where Revali is cleaning out the remaining ‘bowls’. The pot sits pristinely beside him. Link snatches it up and fills it with water before putting it on the fire. Thankfully, it looks like Urbosa put the old cloth back on.

Both her shins are bloodied and her left elbow has a gash in it as well. In comparison to Mipha, though, it was hardly anything. As the night progresses, Link can see a bruise settling along the entirety of Mipha’s exposed stomach and sides. He only hopes her ribs are fine. Her shins are also bleeding like Urbosa’s and she has bandages covering from her elbows to the palms of her hands. Dry blood covers her fingers.

“You too,” Link says to Mipha. “I’ll get clean water for you next.” Mipha gives him a grateful nod.

“Playing doctor?” Revali mocks playfully. He sits the bowls next to Urbosa’s jewels and takes a seat next to Link.

Link simply shrugs and takes the pot off the fire. “You better not be thinking about putting boiling water on me, boy,” Urbosa warns. Link only chuckles and shakes his head.

“How much cloth is there?” Link asks Mipha, who has had the cloth stashed alongside her cooking supplies. She turns and lays the cloths on her lap. She separates some cloth out for her and Urbosa, and shows Link the rest. It might be enough for two more dressings. “Where did you get all of it?”

Urbosa gives him a wiry smirk and Mipha blushes while fiddling with her bandages on her hands. “Monsters,” Urbosa says simply. “We stripped the monsters before we killed them. To make sure their cloth didn’t disappear along with them.”

Link’s eyebrows rise and Revali gives off a low whistle. 

Revali’s beak opens and Link is already rolling his eyes. “Kinky.”

Mipha just blushes redder and Urbosa gives off a good laugh.

The water cools mildly, and Link begs a small cloth off of Mipha. With that he lets Urbosa clean her elbow and the rest of the water is dumped over her shins. Her teeth clenched together, she gives Link the dead eye. “You’re lucky I know you’re doing this to help.” Link just gives her a cheeky smile and let’s Mipha wrap her up.

Another round of water and it was Mipha’s turn. In another pond, Revali tries to wash blood out of the used, but salvageable cloth pieces. Tired from the redressing, Urbosa has passed out next to Daruk.

“Thank you, Link,” Mipha whispers as Link starts to pull off the cloth from her arms. He nods, but grimaces when some chunks of scales come off with the bandage. Mipha doesn’t seem to notice though, so he doesn’t voice his concern. “It’s all so strange, you know?” Mipha says staring off and around them. “Everything is so frightening, and new. Brand new. And yet I feel so calm here in our party.” She meets Link’s eyes and continues, “It’s something beyond me right now, but I hope to understand soon.”

After fiddling with wetting a new cloth, he runs the cloth over her outstretched arm. She clenches her jaw, but doesn’t complain.

“Do you think we knew each other?” Link eventually asks. Their eyes meet again and Link quickly looks back down to her arm.

“It’s my suspicion that we did,” Mipha replies. Link hums and continues on her wounds. It takes another pot of water, but they finally get all of her wounds cleared out. Revali has even gone to sleep by now.

“Try not to strain yourself too much tomorrow,” Link cautions as he wraps up her second leg. “I think we should go talk to the old man. Maybe you could stay with him while we do a shrine.”

Mipha doesn’t commit, but she mulls over it while he goes off to wash the rest of the cloth. When he comes back, Mipha has gone to lay in a pile near the other three. Only two days in, Link thinks in bemusement. Already they were so comfortable with each other. He didn’t know what he’d do if he were to lose one of them now.

The next day they pick up their gear and trek southward. Link had seen the hut from the tower, and assumed it was the stranger’s. Who else would live in such a place? Avoiding as many fights as possible and the horrible place known as Ja Baij, they made it down to the lightly forested area by afternoon. 

The stranger couldn’t be found anywhere around his cabin. To make themselves busy, Daruk and Urbosa sit around his cooking pot. Soon, something tempting smelling is drifting through the air. Revali ventures on ahead to see if the old man could be found farther into the woods.

In the cabin, Mipha and Link admire the simple décor. Link tries to no avail to have Mipha lie down on the bed. She will not be tempted into rest when they still might need her. Instead she drifts over to the book on the table, still wide open. Link watches as she skims a line or two, but she blushes and closes the book quickly. Curious, Link drifts over to her.

He puts his hand on the book, but she covers it to stop him. “It’s a diary. We shouldn’t invade,” She says softly, but sternly. Link’s eyes widen. Nodding, he pretends to be interested in other things that scatter the table. He pockets a few peppers to which Mipha frowns, but ignores. As she wanders the room to look at the detail on pots and fabrics lying around, Link silently swipes the book off the table.

She hears him swipe it, but before she can yell at him, he is already out the door.

He hears Mipha yelling, but snickers as he races past Urbosa and Daruk and deeper into the forest. Hopefully, they would hold her at bay if only in fear for her injuries worsening in a sprint.

Not even that far into the woods, he spots Revali and the old man having a conversation. Link takes refuge behind a nearby tree. Just out of earshot, he can’t hear what they could be talking about. Instead, he checks for tag-alongs. When Mipha doesn’t make her angry personhood apparent, he flips the book open.

To his disappoint, the book is fairly empty. The old man talks about his favorite jacket and a self-made recipe that he can’t even remember the recipe too. Though, by the title, Link can gather a small guess as to the missing ingredient already. Sighing, Link quietly shuts the book.

He jumps when the sound of something generously heavy falls behind his tree. Peaking around the side, it looks like the old man fell a tree. Revali is walking his way and catches his eye with a curious look.

When he gets close enough, Revali takes a knee beside Link. “And what are you doing huddled up out here?”

Link hands Revali the diary with a huff and waits for Revali to read through it.

Revali takes a moment, an inhaled breath, and looks at Link straight on. “Why did you take this from his house?”

Link looks back at the old man, hunched over while cutting his log, and then just says, “Let’s just take it back. Mipha wouldn’t let me read it there.”

Link pushes himself up and they start walking back to the cabin. “You know,” Revali starts and Link groans, “Curiosity like this could get you into heaps of trouble.” Link just nods and Revali’s shoulders bunch up. “So, you might want to consider being more careful. Mipha doesn’t seem like the kind of person to take her fights lightly. And for the old man,” Revali gives a look back at the old timer, still just chopping away, “He is a man of secrets. He wouldn’t even tell me his name. If he stops ‘helping’ us because he finds out you took this-“ Revali shakes the book, “I will put full responsibility on you.”

Another shrug and Revali drops it altogether. At the cabin, Mipha is tapping her foot with Urbosa keeping her arm draped around her shoulders. Revali hands Link the book and plops down by the fire. After Link has placed the book back on the table, he joins the party.

“Learn anything worthwhile?” Urbosa asks calmly. Mipha is still tapping her foot.

“A new recipe: that’s it,” Link shrugs. He pulls out his shiv and continues on his wooden bowl. The outside still needs a lot of work.

“Nothing of much interest then,” Urbosa says, giving Mipha an eyeful before squeezing her shoulder and letting her go. Mipha huffs, but stays sat on the log.

Daruk looks at them, all tense for different reasons, and gives a big laugh at their discomfort. 

The sun’s been beginning to hang lower.

“Good evening,” The old man calls. He has several bundles of logs hoisted behind him. Daruk gets up to help him drag them out beside his house. “I see you’ve made yourself at home.”

As the night progresses, the group gets cozy around the fire. Urbosa moves to sit with Revali and Link on the ground so that the old man can have his log. Through the night they enjoy their dinner and the old man laughs at their crudely made bowls. He even offers some metalware he had scavenged long ago.

The evening goes on and the old man sighs wistfully. A tale of lost love between him and his favorite recipe crops up and Link tries not to give Mipha a smug smile. He still only gets a hard look from her. Fine then. The old man invites them to stay the night, but to be aware of the morning dew to come.

The next morning Link wakes up first. From their perishables he pulls out a Hyrule bass and some raw meat. Mixing in the pepper from the old man’s cabin does the trick. Revali is the next to wake. He busies himself with his wooden bowl. The outside looks close to rounded out.

The old man walks out of his cabin and Link pulls the food off the pot as quick as he can.

“Breakfast?” he offers with a smile, hoping for all hope that this would work.

Still tired, the old man yawns before he takes a proper look at the dish. A dawning realization pulls on his wrinkled face and he smiles wide. He can’t believe Link knew how to make his favorite dish and to repay Link for jogging his memory: he gladly gives Link his doublet. For the first morning in his known memory, Link is warm.

Revali watches with disinterest. When the old man is out of sight, he gives a half-hearted congratulations on finally obtaining a shirt. Link gives him a wicked smile back.

Link had spent the last night consulting the Sheikah Slate and it looked like there was a passage behind The Temple worth checking out. And while most of everyone was still out cold, he had an itching in his boots to get started. Revali catches his eye and the Rito speaks up suddenly.

“Where’s the next shrine?”

Link blinks, but pulls out the Slate to show him. “They both seem to be up in the mountains. See this one? It should be up there,” Link points up the steep cliff side to their south-west. “But it’s too high up to see from here. We’ll need to take this long away around just to get to the other one. Let alone how we’ll get up to this one.” Revali watches Link’s finger as he traces different paths on the map.

Finally he stops Link. “Why don’t I just fly us up?”

“What?” Link blanches.

“Why. Don’t I. Fly us up? It’ll be quicker. It’ll be safer because less chance of monster encounters. And it’ll be easier. Let’s be honest, watching you shuffle your way through several feet of snow would be downright pitiful-“

“Alright! I get it!” Link whisper-yells, mindful of those still sleeping around them. “Let’s just go!”

They let their party sleep and together they head back southward into the woods. Out of boredom, they snipe camps of Bokoblins on the way. The hordes they possessed always made out to be worth it. It only took one leap upwards from Revali and they had made it to Owa Dam Shrine.

Out of breath, Link takes a moment to allow himself to settle down. When he rebalances though, he sees Revali relaxing against the cliff-side with his shiv in hand.

Link quirks his eyebrow. “Not coming in?”

“Maybe next one,” Revali says dismissively. Link is a little disappointed, but he goes in alone without complaint. It proves to be a pretty unexcitable rune anyway. Sure he can propel large objects, as he shows Revali then outside the shrine, but that was about as exciting as it gets. Nothing like the Magnesis or Bomb runes.

“Ready for another flight?” Revali asks. And although the first flight wasn’t that enjoyable, Link hops on in spite of himself. This one would be better. Now that he knew what to expect.

It wasn’t any better in the least. Revali goes up too high and even the doublet allows for a lot of the wind chill to break through. Sure the view of the large lake was inspiring, and the mirage of the old man on the highest peak in the mountain was troubling, but the flight itself is probably worse than what the actual walk would have been. Link immediately regrets this.

The only respite is when they finally enter Keh Namut and warmth slowly starts returning to his bones.

“Cold?” Revali asks surprisingly gentle, covering the introduction to the shrine some. Link gives him a sour face and tries to catch the end of the speech. It never hurt to be respectful.

Throughout the shrine, they find the theme is to use the new Cryonis rune to make way. And though Revali finds it a bit ridiculous, he lets Link figure out how to use the ice blocks and gives him very little beak clack for his wasted time. Though he does give just enough clack to earn himself some eye rolls and even a prim middle finger.

In the end, Revali is respectful, and he stands at the bottom of the small staircase leading to the deceased monk.

“Your resourcefulness in overcoming this trial speaks to the promise of a hero… In the name of the Goddess Hylia, I bestow upon you this Spirit Orb. May the Goddess smile upon you.”

They are transported outside, and before Link can move to climb onto Revali’s back they hear the familiar sound of the old man gliding down to meet them. Had he really been all the way up there then?

“With this, you have now acquired all the Spirit Orbs from the shrines on this plateau,” The old man gives a hearty laugh, “Extraordinary!”

“Naturally,” Revali amends with a bowed head.

The old man gives them a warm smile. “That means…it is finally time.” Revali and Link give each other a bewildered look. “Link, it is finally time for me to tell you everything. But first…Imagine an X on your map, with the four shrines as end points. Find the spot where those lines intersect. I shall wait for you there. You alone.”

“Old man-“ Revali starts, but gasps.

The old man is fading out of existence. “Do you understand?” No. “Where two lines cross connecting the shrines… There…I will…be waiting…” He’s gone. Poof. Magical science is real, but isn’t that a bit much?

Revali stares at the spot the stranger had faded from. It had completely blind-sided them both. “He seemed so…average,” Revali finally sputters, moving his eyes to Link. “You can’t trust just anyone, can you?”

Link had to agree there. But he held his Sheikah Slate in front of him, noting the Temple of Time as the likely meeting grounds. He points it out to Revali.

“So be it,” Revali agrees. “I’ll take you there.”

In a moment’s flash they were back in the air again. Again, Link chills to the bone. But something foreboding clenches his chest. That and some hope. Their need for answers may be met sooner than he had dreamed for. At the front stairs to the temple, he slides off of Revali’s back. Careful not to drop himself to the stone flooring.

“Hey,” Revali turns and puts his wings on either of Link’s shoulders. He holds Link still in front of him. “Don’t hide anything from us now,” he starts out clearly, making sure Link is listening to him with absolute understanding. “Whatever you learn up there… Don’t let us wait too long, okay? That’s all I’m asking here. Don’t sugar coat it, don’t-“

“Revali-“

“Don’t you dare keep our pasts from us,” Revali pushes on. “No matter how horrible.”

Link startles and his eyes start to tear. He blinks and looks away from Revali. A nod is all he can muster.

Revali gives his shoulders a squeeze. “Thank you. I’ll go tell the others what happened. Go on then.” Gently, he shoves Link toward the entrance. “We’ll meet you here.”

Link nods again and starts walking up the steps. When Revali doesn’t leave in a gust of air, Link takes a glance back. Revali still stands there, watching him patiently with his wings crossed. He gives Link little air-shoves with his wing tips when Link doesn’t look away. Link musters his will and continues on into the temple.

From inside, he can hear Revali’s lift off and he knows he is truly alone now.

Well, maybe not truly.

In front of him, a statue of a woman with large wings glows and shimmers. When he comes to stand directly below her, he finds it only appropriate to pray. For this must be the Lady Hylia that they monks had spoken of.

Surprisingly, what must be her voice speaks to him, “You who have conquered the shrines and claimed their Spirit Orbs. I can offer you great power. It appears you have claimed four Spirit Orbs. In exchange for four Spirit Orbs, I will amplify your being. So tell me what you desire.”

In his mind, there are only three options: to take the orbs to the old man and fulfill his bargain or to ask for more endurance. More strength. To amplify his very being. In this moment, he doesn’t even feel greedy. He feels like maybe this was the proper way of using the Spirit Orbs. These monks would want nothing more than to return to their goddess. Selling them was never an option.

He chooses to be able to take more damage, and the Goddess makes him feel like he can take on the world in her blessing.    

The air changes, and Link looks around. Finally, he sees the old man, up on the top of the precariously broken roof. Why..? It doesn’t matter. The old man only beckons Link to come up himself. Oh, the lengths he’d go to.

Luckily, when he looks outside the temple for a way up, there is a ladder that leads up to the roof. Very convenient, but let’s be thankful for this small courtesy. The roof is a shambles, but Link scrambles over the wooden panels. Avoiding nails and other metal shrapnel, he tries his best to get his footing.

Link faces northward and there is the main tower of the building, somehow still the brick holds for the most part. On the highest floor of the tower, the old man waits and glows with his new eerie light, a lantern in hand. He laughs as he watches Link. Climbing over crumbled masonry, Link finally stands before him. “Well done there, young one!

“Now then… The time has come for me to show you who I truly am.” The stranger’s voice has become solemn. His gaze is steely. “I was King Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule. I was…the last leader of Hyrule. A kingdom which no longer exists.” A chill runs through Link.

The king’s eerie light explodes from him and re-envelopes him again. No longer in plain clothes, he wears his crown and his royal garb with his large waist belt. An insignia is bordered by wings on that same belt and it reminds Link of the Spirit Orbs. Of course…

“The Great Calamity was merciless…” The last king continues. “It devastated everything in its path, lo, a century ago. It was then that my life was taken from me. And since that time, here I have remained, in spirit form.” His majesty turns to look out the broken window. “I did not think it wise to overwhelm you while your memory was still fragile. So rather than that, I assumed a temporary form.” He gives Link a small head bow over his shoulder. “Forgive me.”

Link isn’t sure if this is real, however he assumes it must be. Why him? Why must he know all this misery…

The king jolts him into focus with a simple declaration. “I think you are now ready.” That feels so unlikely. It had not even been a week. “Ready to hear what had happened one hundred years ago…” Out in the distance, he could just see Hyrule Castle past King Rhoam’s shoulder. There was no amount of time that could prepare him for this.

So it must be.

King Rhoam tells Link more of the misery. He learns of the reincarnation, the stories of old that spoke of this well-known adversary, and of the ways of the ancient Sheikah who had last beaten Ganon to submission. There had been so much research. Their planning was impeccable. The princess and knight, who had been the keystones to success had been trained into excellence. In accordance with the Sheikah research, they had also trained four Champions to command a group of Divine Beasts.

But Ganon had been cunning. He turned their newfound technology against them, and their Guardians and Divine Beasts had become his.

The Champions were terminated. All of those who rested within the castle walls were killed. And the appointed knight, too wounded to continue, also fell in his task to defend the princess.

The princess, however, survived the massacre. She alone faced Ganon.

“That princess…was my daughter,” King Rhoam says finally. “And the courageous knight who protected her to the very end…”He turns to face Link. “That knight was none other than you, Link.” Shock runs through Link, but still his mind is whirling. “You fought valiantly when your life met an unfortunate turn.

“And then, you and your fellow Champions were taken to the Shrine of Resurrection. Now you all stand revitalized, one hundred years later.

“The words of guidance you have been hearing are from no other than Princess Zelda herself. Even now, as she works to restrain Ganon, she calls out for your help. However, my daughter’s power will soon be exhausted. Once that happens, Ganon will be free to regenerate himself and no one will be able stop him from consuming our land.”

Heavy. This feels so incredibly heavy. “Considering I could not save my own kingdom, I have no right to ask this of you, Link. But I am powerless here…

“You must save her…my daughter.” A deep feeling of duty is rooting itself in Link’s chest. This is his king’s last order. “And do what it takes to annihilate Ganon.

“Somehow, Ganon has maintained control of the four Divine Beasts, as well as those Guardians surrounding Hyrule Castle.

“I believe it would be rather reckless for you to head directly to the castle at this point.” A weight, however small, lifts from Link’s shoulders. There was still more to consider. This was not set in stone…

“I suggest…that you make your way east, to one of the villages in the wilderness.” Needing more visual, Link approaches King Rhoam slowly. The king points out the window toward a pair of twin mountains. “Follow the road to Kakariko Village. There you will find the elder, Impa. Past the Dueling Peaks, follow the road north.”

With warm eyes, the king pulls out the paraglider from his ghostly pockets. He offers it to Link: “Go on…here is the paraglider, just as I promised.”

In wonder, Link looks the paraglider over before placing it gently with the other gear along his waist.

“I have told you all I have to say,” King Rhoam says. With a strange kind of removed sadness, Link watches the king fade. “Link…You must save…Hyrule.” His turquoise flames glimmer out of existence.

And though Link had not hoped, or even anticipated for such an explanation, he feels like finally he has some sort of direction. Actually…they all do.

In the courtyard below, he can see the outlines of his fellow Champions. They sit in a circle, probably having been waiting patiently throughout a good portion of King Rhoam’s explanation. Suddenly, he feels bad for leaving them all behind to chase a whim. Everything that they had been going through before felt so naïve and careless now. His chest hurts.

There is a soldier’s bow in the chest on this floor. He grabs it. Then he looks back down at his party. His... He wants… Something, anything. He should go talk to them, but his chest feels too heavy. He needs fresh air. Being only this far up isn’t enough. He needs more.

The brick bites into his hands and he doesn’t care. He is climbing this damn tower to the top if it kills him. There’s a tall spike at the top of the tower. He climbs it. He climbs it and when he reaches no higher, he settles to hang from the spike. This feels better. He can actually breathe a little better.

Down below, the party looks up at Link hanging off the building haphazardly. Worried looks pass through the group. Revali decides he’ll check in on the chickling. Just to make sure all is well.

He finds Link hanging onto the spike, talking to air. Link reaches into the air and pulls out a golden seed and then he looks up at Revali in surprise. Link gives him a little bemused wave.

And then Revali nearly does a flip when Link let’s himself drop to the roof of the tower. However, Link stays even-footed. It was close. To surprise Revali even more though, he pulls out the old man’s paraglider. Revali gives him a smile, but Link doesn’t return it. Even more unsettled, Revali follows him as they drift down to their crowd of worriers.

Link spends the rest of the day rehashing the stories King Rhoam had told him. The evening ends in quiet contemplation and self-examination. Everyone had wanted to leave the plateau, but no one seemed ready yet to accept what looked to be an impossible task. Only a silent understanding lingers. They are all in mourning for a life that only feels like that of pure legend. How can they possibly live up to that kind of past?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter will defiantly be around coming next Tuesday. Hope you enjoyed the latest chapter!


	3. Dueling Peaks

“Must you pull so roughly?” Mipha hisses as Link sheds her of her bandages. It is the morning after King Rhoam revealed himself and only Mipha, Link, and Revali are awake. Revali had left earlier to hunt, so the awkward tension between Mipha and Link only rises.

“You didn’t use to complain,” Link mumbles back. Still he tries to be gentler.

“You were more tolerable back then,” Mipha says with a bit of grief on her face.

Link bites the side of his mouth and stays quiet. In silence, he washes her nearly healed wounds and rewraps them. They didn’t bleed near as much now, but maybe for just a night or so more they’d stay wrapped. Urbosa had been foregoing hers already.

Mipha gives a studious look over her bandages and then nods to Link. She doesn’t move to do something else however, so Link takes a little longer as well to put away the supplies. She seems to be hesitating. When Link has nothing else to fiddle with, he finally looks at her. Her face creases in his stare and she looks away with a frustrated blush covering her face.

Link finally just laughs and gives her an amused smile. This warrants her direct attention and her face pinches more. “What are you possibly laughing at?”

“You can’t be mad at me forever,” Link finally says with a lazy smile.

Mipha’s shoulders rise and she’s glaring now. “You shouldn’t have been rifling through the king’s personal belongings! You stole from him!”

“I think he wanted us to take those things honestly. Even read the book,” Link folds his arms, “He was an old ghost trying to help us.”

“That isn’t the point!” Mipha rises up. “You can’t just take and look at things that aren’t yours!” She glares down at him before huffing, “I’m going to go find Revali.”

Link watches as Mipha storms away from camp and then he goes to gather up some stored food for breakfast. Eggs and mushrooms it is.

Urbosa sits up while stretching her arms. “Energetic this morning, aren’t we.”

“Guess so,” Link responds. He cracks the eggs along the pot’s lip. After chucking the shells to the side, he sets the fire. Then he scraps the eggs along the bottom of the pot with their new metal ladle.

“You should really make up with her. It wouldn’t be hard,” Urbosa says as she lounges back against Daruk’s sleeping body. “She has strict morals. If only we all were so noble.” Link just shrugs. “Link,” He looks up at her, “Just assure her that you do care. For the peace.”

Urbosa lets Link mull it over while the eggs simmer. Revali and Mipha only return late into breakfast, both have decent hunks of meat hanging from their shoulders. Daruk gets up and wanders about, looking for rocks to eat assumingly. Everyone keeps to their selves for awhile, peaceful in their morning routine.

Upon reaching the border, the group gives each other uncertain looks. Link pulls out the Sheikah Slate to make sure they are in the right spot. Once Daruk is assured they are at the right place, he takes no time in diving off the side. Revali looks between Mipha and Urbosa, but Urbosa simply grabs him by the wing. Paired off with Mipha, Link quickly starts to pull out the paraglider.

“…are you sure it will hold our combined weight?” Mipha asks. Link has the paraglider splayed out and he holds it awkwardly while nodding in affirmation. “Well…how should I..?” Mipha motions awkwardly with her arms to go to either Link’s shoulders or his waist.

“Piggyback?” Link suggests and Mipha goes up behind him. In no time, she’s secured tightly to his back with all of their weapons on hers.

Link lines up himself along the Plateau’s edge and Mipha gives a wary look down. “We should have tried this out somewhere else first.”

“Too late.”

Link leaps off the edge and they plummet. The paraglider doesn’t take hold of the breeze and for a lifetime’s worth of worry, the party watches their free fall. Link twists his arms this way and that to try to catch the breeze. Halfway down the group watches in increasing worry and Mipha tries her best not to cry out into Link’s ear. The rest of the Champions, not sure what to do, start to run to where the pair looks like they might land. Daruk with his large hands, stands as close to their center as possible in a sad hope to catch them. Revali takes a leap up to meet the falling pair.

His burst of air catches up to Link’s paraglider, and the wind finally catches them. For a brief moment, Revali and Link hover in midair. Revali looks annoyed, but Link smiles up at him kindly. They drift down outside of the small gale Revali had made and Urbosa and Daruk catch up with them further down the worn path.

Shakily, Mipha slides off of Link’s back and hugs him tightly from behind as she tries to regain her balance. She loosens up her grasp when Link leans over with his hands on his knees. He’s breathing deeply, but everyone is safe. Still with her arms around him, Mipha laughs out her relief.

“What happened up there?” Revali asks, not waiting long for Link to calm down.

“Too much…weight,” Link coughs out. “Couldn’t…keep the glider open.”

“Glad it wasn’t me on your back then,” Urbosa jokes then, squeezing Mipha around her shoulders. “We should get moving though. Who knows how long this trip will take.”

Slowly, Link folds up his paraglider while he tags along behind everyone else. Daruk walks by his side. After Link catches his breath, the stunning view of Hyrule overtakes him. Sure there’s monsters along the way, and everything is in ruin, but there’s a solemn kind of beauty to it. Maybe even nostalgic.

Daruk points out some of the more distant mountains. The path is leading toward a particular pair of odd mountains, like one mountain had been split in half. Daruk jokes that he probably did that before their one hundred year nap. Link could believe him.

They get to their first bridge and there just happens to be a shrine next to it. Link suggests everyone else take a break outside, but nobody seems liable to be content sitting around. Urbosa and Daruk accompany him in this new shrine, although they leave once they see they can’t fly with him to the monk. Revali and Mipha do a bit of scouting. Revali says he’ll check out the farther northern area for any other shrines. Mipha promises to scout out down river. Urbosa and Daruk leave the shrine before either of their scouts come back.

Looking over at the ruins just on the other side of the road, Daruk groans with a hand rubbing over his face, “Couldn’t believe what that must have felt like.”

“What what must have felt like?” Urbosa asks, hand on hip.

“Well, look at all that rubble,” Daruk gestures to the East Post Ruins, “There were lives based around these places. Now it’s all gone.”

Urbosa nods and starts heading across the street. Daruk follows after her. “I suppose you have a point. The day of the apocalypse must have been hard on everyone. To watch all of their work be terminated like this…” She picks up a smaller rock decorating a large ruined building, and then she drops it back to where it was. “People died here.” Curious, she ghosts her hands along the walls as she looks at the inner part of the building.

“We need to fix this,” Daruk says suddenly. Urbosa bends down to pick up an old jug, somehow surviving the times. “…Urbosa?”

She turns the jug around to view all of the visible damage. Barely any chips. “Being heroes won’t bring these people back to life. You know that right?”

“Of course it won’t. But they died for a reason. They died protecting those they loved…”

“You’re right,” She sets the jug down gently and stands back up. “As we died doing the very same thing.”

Daruk and Urbosa share an intense look. Daruk breaks it off to look around them again. “I’ll do it again if I have to.”

“You’re very brave, Daruk. We’re lucky to have you.”

“Don’t discredit yourself, sister. You’re our rock in these hard times.”

Not much later, they go back to the bridge to wait for the others.

Link, who had jumped up on the side of the bridge, just got startled by a stranger who seemingly came from nowhere. With Daruk and Urbosa much closer to the shrine, they rush to watch the spectacle that is the stranger trying to talk Link off from the bridge’s edge.

Mipha, however, watches from close by in the river with a little smile. Link is apologizing and starting to carry a little conversation with the man. A fellow Hylian? It’s kind of cute to watch them talk…

Revali comes swooping down low across the bridge. It frightens the other Hylian, but then he smiles. Mipha supposes she should go be social along with them.

When the stranger is affronted by the sight of all of the Champions coming to stand behind Link, he’s jaw nearly drops to the ground. Pleasantries exchanged, but not much else. The Champions continue on their way.

After passing through the tower and the split mountain, they receive the same kind of fair at their first stable. At this point night time has just set in and thankfully only a few were awake, but those that are awake gawk and ask them awkward questions about how they happened to group up. After a few stray glances, they use the old ‘it just happened’ excuse. Even with this prodding, it would be a lie to say their stay at the stable didn’t feel luxurious compared to their stay on the Plateau. Daruk jokes about never leaving.

Daruk and Revali take to the provided pot outside the stable while Link, Urbosa, and Mipha eyeball the man with a large beetle on his backpack. It looks like he’s thinking about snoozing and Mipha’s shy to approach him. However, his large sign protruding from his pack suggests that he’s a salesman and Urbosa isn’t about missing an opportunity like this.

Leaning over the dozing salesman, Urbosa pokes his nose. Link and Mipha flank her and stand back when he shakes the sleep from his head.

“Oooh! Hello, hello!” The salesman greets, a wide smile on his face. “Are you adventurers looking for wares for sale? The name’s Beedle. You can call me- well actually let’s just stick to that!” Beedle pulls down a little wooden counter from his overhang. Next he starts pulling out some arrows and a couple of little wooden boxes. “I have a limited amount of stock, but I hope you can find what you’re looking for!”

Link studies the arrows and selections of bugs and critters Beedle sets out on his counter. He…isn’t sure why someone would want the bugs, but the arrows could be quite useful. Though they have no rupees on them, at least in a literal sense.

Urbosa queries how much a couple of the amber she has could fetch, and Beedle’s eyes light up. In no time, the pair starts trading up their items. Link watches the hands and somehow Urbosa leaves the exchange with new wares and more money than she had started with. It’s worrying that a business practice would work out like that, but he supposes Beedle must know what he’s doing.

While Urbosa gets up to leave, Mipha starts to question the critters’ uses. Link stays and listens to Beedle preach the apparently very useful nature of the insects on display. Link’s eyes widen is surprise. He wonders if there are insects with similar status changing effects that equate to the meal that King Rhoam had taught them how to make…

“Thank you so much for your time. I hope we will see you again after we depart tomorrow,” Mipha tells Beedle, her voice gentle and patient.

“No, thank you! Steady business is always appreciated!” Beedle beams to her. Link follows Mipha to the rest of the party, and waves back at Beedle: the salesman keeps on smiling.

“Get anything of use off that outlandish peddler?” Revali inquires, his large wing wrapped around a skewer of fish.

“He was a very pleasant person, actually, and yes, we were able to barter a decent amount of arrows from him,” Mipha says, sitting down gracefully beside Revali. “Not that that would interest you any,” She nearly smirks at him, and Revali frowns at her.

“You wouldn’t be teasing me now, would you dear Mipha? You’re so much better than that,” Revali layers it on thick, giving Mipha a dark eye.

Mipha only smiles back, but Urbosa pulls the arrows up for Revali to look at. She even moves them around, and the group watches in amusement as Revali’s eyes follow the arrows. “Arrows for more fish, birdbrain.”

Revali frowns and tuts at Urbosa. But with a surprising amount of compliance, he pulls out more fish from the inventory. “Only because you would waste the fish in your food-burning ways.” Urbosa makes a face, neither denying nor confirming. Though it is a well-known fact by now that much of what Urbosa touches turns to either rock or ash.

Link sits back, enjoying the group’s amiable bickering. Sure, some of his silence came to the still stony looks Mipha gave him, but he also just was more inclined to listen. It’s so much easier than trying to talk. All that seems to be on his mind now is the unspoken pressure that they all are under anyway. There’s no need to baggage them with his thoughts on that unpleasant business…

Part way into their meal, a middle-aged Hylian gingerly asks the party if they would be interested in beds for the night. The price was fair, but they did not seem to have a pallet suited for Daruk. Something about the rarity of hosting Gorons. Link thinks this a rather poor excuse and decides to stay outside with him for the night. The weather is fair after all. Mipha, Revali, and Urbosa take the offer up though. Urbosa antagonizes Revali more when they realize he has to borrow rupees from her for the stay, and he bristles. Instead of being in her debt, he settles with sleeping outside as well.

Link had never taken to sleeping too close to Daruk before, and he keeps his distance tonight as well. They lay surrounded by the bundles of wood and other supplies next to the stable. Somewhere in their close proximity, Revali gently sets about laying out his blanket the stable staff had offered all of them. Link grips his own blanket close to him, and he feels a peace that only partly goes through him.

“Hey, little buddy…” Daruk speaks as quietly as he can. Link looks up at Daruk’s bulky form, the Goron looking relaxed lying out on the earth like this. “Mipha isn’t too happy with you still, is she?”

Link gives a nod and pulls the blanket up under his chin. Daruk studies Link’s curled up body and gives out a soft laugh. Voice still low and gravely, Daruk keeps prodding. “I know it’s none of my business, but maybe you should make up with her. We could really use everyone having each other’s backs out here,” Link starts out trying to deny that he would never leave Mipha out to dry, but Daruk interrupts him, “You know what I mean.”

“Especially after that awful stunt you pulled on the departure from The Great Plateau. You had us all thinking you two would be a pair of smashed eggs,” Revali chirps, sleep heavy in his voice.

“Yeah, you scared us good there,” Daruk agrees, succeeding in making Link feel bad.

“Link,” Revali rolls over, looking for Link’s face which is starting to get consumed by his blankets, “I have already apologized to Mipha for that. And if I, the most intellectual and cunning of all, must apologize to keep the peace: for a fault that isn’t even mine keep in mind, then so must the most outstandingly more-responsible member of our party.”

Link perks up hearing that Revali had made an apology, he wishes he had been there to hear that conversation. But otherwise he just wants them to leave him alone. He’s already had this conversation with Urbosa.

“…Are you really not going to comment on this? How pathetic…” Revali mutters while rolling over. Link’s insides feel heavy. He wants to say something, but what can he say? Revali was right, but he doesn’t deserve to hear that. There would be no end for the preening.

As for Daruk… Link looks up at Daruk, to see small eyes looking down at him in concern.

“You okay?” Daruk asks. Link didn’t expect that, but he’s starting to learn that his fellow champions are full of surprises. He nods and curls back under his blanket. There is silence for the rest of the night.

Link wakes up first the next morning, though some of the other patrons are up already. The girl by the pot greets him as he sits down for some mushroom breakfast. She’s so nice, she even gives him a potion like the ones Beedle had talked about! She says it’ll make him pretty speedy and that sounds incredible. Fast juice in a jar.

And then because he’s curious about the stable’s main objective: horse riding, he goes and talks to the stable handler. He goes on and on about the stable network, and Link is really happy to hear that Hyrule isn’t completely broken to smithereens. Okay. But then his brother starts going on about horse catching. Which actually sounds interesting, so Link listens closer.

“If you can catch a horse in under two minutes, you’ll be the fastest horse tamer in all of Hyrule… At least as far as we know.”

Link agrees to do the catching, not because he needs to be the fastest, but because they could really use a horse. He straight up chugs his fast juice and off he runs. Better to run than have to think about the journey set out before him.

Remembering vaguely that horses are very skittish, he hunkers down once he comes across a pair of spotted mares. He feels his muscles taunt. The burst of energy makes him feel like a little kid about to win his first race. When he gets close enough, he jumps!

The mare startles and buckles almost immediately. Link struggles, but finds purchase in her mane and digs his feet into her sides, though they slide. With some encouragement, the horse calms.

Revali is watching him with raised eyebrows. Link proudly walks his new horse over to the stable’s brothers. The younger brother gasps and congratulates Link on breaking their record. Revali’s attention is caught.

“He broke a record? For what?” Revali stands by Link’s horse cautiously, while keeping a steady eye on the handler’s brother.

“Fastest horse tamer in Hyrule,” The brother smiles broadly. “Better watch out though, I’ll beat him yet.”

“Fascinating. Pray tell, how hard would you say horse taming is? Because if Link could do it so easily-“

“Very hard, sir! Not many have the skill,” The brother interrupts Revali, embittering him.

“What was your time?” Revali asks Link flatly. Link holds up a finger and Revali bristles. “I can do much better than that. I’d think the bar was much higher. Hold on one moment, I have to go rectify this horrid display of underachievement.”

Apparently, it costs 20 Rupees to board a horse, so Link does some money exchanging with Beedle and then the stable. By the time Link has his new horse registered, Revali had already been out longer than Link’s record. Link rides over to see how he is holding up, Revali looks to be still giving in an effort to tame a beast. A sight for sore eyes honestly.

Revali stands out in the large field, surrounded by a distressing amount of guardian husks. He’ll spot a small herd of horses he wishes to approach and Link has to admit, he sure is giving his best efforts to be sneaky. He just isn’t very good at it. One second he’s mid-jump towards a horse, the next his face is connecting with a horse’s hoof. Link wants to go see if he’s alright, but Revali springs back up before he can get too worried.

The pattern repeats. Sometimes he’s stealthy enough to get up close to the herds. Sometimes he lets go of all common sense and charges them head on. Every approach is undoubtedly futile.

“Nice pony you’ve got, Link,” Daruk groggily greets his friend, breakfast rock in hand. Daruk squints his eyes at Revali. “What’s birdbrain doing out there?”

“Horse catching,” Link says with a little smile on his face. “He’s really bad at it.”

Revali happens to fly up in the air and try to belly flop a black stallion at that moment. Daruk spits up most of his mouthful of rock, as Revali is nearly trampled by the dashing herd around him.

Link’s eyes narrow and he pushes his girl out after him. Once close enough he hollers, “You’re going to get killed like that!”

Revali, thankfully not that pulverized by horse hooves, scowls up at Link. “Go away, Link. I don’t want your help with this. I can figure it out on my own.”

Link rises an eyebrow as if to ask if Revali was sure. Revali makes shooing motions with his wing and Link leads his horse back over to Daruk.

“Not listening to reason,” Daruk assumes. Revali is breathing heavily out in the middle of the field. “Stubborn peacock.”

“What are you boys up to?” Urbosa inquires, followed closely by Mipha behind her. “Is there breakfast?” Daruk makes to hand her his leftover boulder, but Urbosa frowns and pushes it away. “I said breakfast, not a stomachache.”

Daruk just shrugs. “Suit yourself.”

“I will,” Urbosa nods. “But first…” She trails off watching Revali nose dive toward his latest target. “He does know he doesn’t need a horse, right?” Mipha giggles at her side. Link tries to smile along with her, but her smile turns into a glare. Right. Link’s still an uncaring and reckless idiot. Who could forget.

Urbosa eyes Mipha and Link up. “Well, whatever is going on…” She says slowly, pushing Mipha closer to Link’s horse. “I think you two should go take a closer look to make sure he doesn’t… I don’t know, lose a tail feather or something.” Mipha tries to say something about breakfast, but Urbosa intervenes. “I’ll have breakfast ready,” She picks Mipha up and lifts her up in front of Link’s saddle. “I’ll bring over a skewer when it’s done. Now go.”

Mipha sits rigidly in front of Link. Link feels his first pits of bitterness towards Urbosa, crafty woman. But he rides them out a bit, not too close, but close enough to be able to rush to Revali in a quick enough time.

For awhile, they sit there. Stiff as boards on a horse who every once in awhile would take a turn or want to break out into a run. During those times Link has to make especially sure that he stays calm, even though Mipha’s bulk make for the whole endeavor to be a challenge.

“Why don’t we dismount for now?” Mipha finally suggests, grip taunt in the mare’s mane. Link’s shoulders sag gratefully.

They continue to be curt as Link slides off, and gives Mipha a hand. Together, they stand alongside the horse.

Mipha, apparently tired of playing the long con, gently asks what Link had named his new horse.

“Apple,” Link says while patting the mare’s mane.

“A simple name, but maybe that suits her,” Mipha comments quietly. She walks around Apple, giving the horse a look over. “She’s very pretty. You caught her earlier?”

“Yeah. That’s why Revali’s chasing horses. The handler had the best record for horse catching, but I beat it,” Link explains. Mipha blinks his way, and a surprised smile glances her face before she schools it again.

“I’m still mad at you,” She reminds him sternly. Link nods back understandingly. Her face pinches around her eyes. “I thought you were so nice, why don’t you seem to care now?”

“I do,” Link replies curtly at her, but then in looking for some way to maybe say something along the lines everyone had been telling him to say, he forgets to continue his apology. Mipha is left watching him only to be let down by his silence.

“Link…” She sighs and looks away. “You’re better than this. Than stealing and invasion. Not to mention how this is all effecting our teamwork. I would hate to make another mistake like the one we made leaving the Plateau… just because we can’t leave this be,” Link gives her a surprised look and she laughs, “Yes, I take the blame for that too. We should have planned better, together. But I was too mad with you to even consider talking to you that much to begin with. I’m sorry my anger almost killed us…” She looks down at her hands then and Link can’t stand that.

He walks directly in front of her and holds her hands to make sure she knows… He feels compelled to make a thumbs up and pull it towards himself. It feels so weird he almost forgets to reassure Mipha. He looks down at their hands, her claws held daintily in his smooth palms. But then he shakes his head and gives her an easy smile.

Her eyes are curious, but she makes no move to tug her hands free. “Why don’t you speak as much as before? I’m sorry, just when we were on the Plateau… You seemed so easy to spur into conversation,” Mipha asks, concern in her eyes.

Link shakes his head again, but more fervently. “No,” he croaks and clears his voice, “No. It’s nothing. You’re fine. Also you did nothing wrong, I was wrong. I shouldn’t have taken his things or read his diary. I should have tested the paraglider more. I’m sorry.” Mipha only looks more concerned now though, and Link can only squeeze her hands reassuringly. “I’m sorry.”

“Thank you,” She squeezes his hands back, “And I’m sorry, too. I have been wanting to hear you apologize for so long, and have been so mad… But I have been strict. I understand we need supplies and information. That some people might not give us everything willingly…” She stares off, vaguely watching Revali still chase horses. “But,” she emphasizes, “if I find out you have been pickpocketing or stealing dinners, I will have words.”

Link just laughs and agrees to avoid breaking her terms. They settle down on the grass peacefully and spend the morning watching Revali run around. Eventually, Urbosa and Daruk come over and Mipha gratefully takes her skewer, though slightly burnt. Link tells Urbosa that Revali probably hasn’t eaten either and she pulls out another ruined skewer from her storage. One moment Revali is stalking a herd, the next he looks over to see his party all gathered around watching him.

He squawks indignantly and storms over. “And just what do you hooligans think you’re doing? Can’t you see I’m in the middle of some very important training?”

“Very,” Urbosa drawls and waves the skewer his way. “Want some?”

“Why, yes I would-“ Revali leans over to grab the skewer, but Urbosa pulls it away from his wing.

“No, sit first.”

“Oh for the love of-“ Revali storms off again, though this time towards the stable.

“Wasn’t hungry then,” Urbosa grins over at Link and Link just smirks and shakes his head. Maybe things could stay nice, like this. With only gentle bickering and light-hearted teasing. They could avoid all the horrible responsibilities surrounding them. At least for now.

The party regroups and heads northward. Link let’s Mipha have a seat up on Apple, and the rest walk around them. He tells her to relax more and lets her lean back on him. Revali remains remarkably sulky a good distance away from the horse whenever possible. It makes Link chuckle, but he also feels bad for the guy. Despite Revali’s best efforts, he wasn’t able to catch any one of those horses. Maybe he should make some elixirs for him to take for next time…

Upcoming, Link sees one of those Korok creatures hanging out alongside the road. This one was massive though, and seemed to be in a bit of a slump. The first Korok Link had ever seen was on the top of The Temple of Time and it had told him that not many could see them. So, naturally, Link tries to avoid talking to them openly around the other champions.

Not wanting to pass the large Korok by, Link has to think of something quick, something witty to make sure the rest of the group went on without him. He looks around wildly for an excuse and found there aren’t many resources to gather at all in this area. Shoot, shoot…

“I- um…” Link coughs up, pulling Apple to a stop. “I forgot I have to, um… Go? Get some…” Link looks at Apple for a moment. “Have to uh, go get some carrots! From the stable.” He explains, slipping off of her back and backing away from the party now. “Yes. They give carrots out for the horses, it’s free! I should go, get those.”

“Well, we can come back-“ Link holds out his hands to stop Urbosa.

“No! No, I won’t hold you all back, go on ahead. Go! I’ll be there then,” Link backs off even more, and pretends to rush back to the stable. He tries not to look back at the group and he waits until he is almost to the bridge before he looks back. Surely enough, Revali had followed him, but at least no one else has.

“I wanted to talk to you anyway,” Revali chirps up, seemingly in a much better mood now for some reason. Link looks from Revali, then to the stable, and then back to Revali. Well screw him. He turns on his heel and pulls Revali back with him. “Wait-what about the carrots?” Link doesn’t answer, and Revali narrows his eyes. “There are no free carrots at the stables.” Link nods his head.

Revali stays quiet as they continue walking back up the path. For a moment he huffs and folds his wings. He opens his beak, but then he closes it and instead studies Link in turn. Then he asks, “Were you planning on running away?” This shocks Link and he shakes his head and waves his arms for extra emphasis. “Then what? Why lie?”

Revali stops in the road, and though Link doesn’t want to stop, he stops for Revali. “What has been wrong with you lately? Your skittish, you avoid speaking, you’re lying to us. I mean I never thought we were all that close, but at least have some decency and tell us all the truth-“

“I see spirits!” Link blurts out, anything to stop Revali’s self-indulgent rambling.

“S-spirits?” That’s better.

“Yeah, just, come here,” Link grabs Revali’s arm and totes him back up to where the Korok still stands. “Can you see it?” Link asks Revali, pointing at the Korok. Revali’s eyes trail aimlessly in that direction, but then he just looks at Link with a dark glint.

“Ha ha, very funny. Oh, one who wielded the darkness-sealing sword, but there is obviously nothing there!”

Overhearing Revali, the Korok huffs indignantly. “I am too right here!” Link nods at the Korok, surprising it. “You can see me?!” Caught between Revali’s squawking and the Korok, Link just nods again. “Ah! You can see me! Oh, please won’t you help me?”

Link is caught off guard and furrows his borrow, staring at the nothingness. Revali throws up his wings. “I can’t believe it! You’re already losing your marbles and it’s only been a week! I should have known-“

Link watches Revali make to walk up the path and forcefully pulls him back. Still paying heavy attention to what the Korok is saying, he stands still with an arm around Revali’s neck and his hands clamped tight around Revali’s beak. Indignant, Revali flaps about while the Korok, his name is Hetsu, tells of his stolen maracas.

Finished with his conversation, Link lets go of Revali’s beak and starts walking back up north on the trail. Revali’s wing stays clasped under Link’s left arm.

“Why-I do hope the spirits just told you something very specific and extremely helpful or I will have no choice but to warn our fellow Champions of your impeding lunacy! Do you hear me?!”

Link bobs his head and gives Revali a mischievous smile. Let him sweat for a little longer. This feels worthwhile.

Up ahead, there are some boulders, packed up high, with an opening that reveal the Bokoblin camp Hetsu had spoken of.

They stay silent. Link takes to the rock wall at once, finding it an easy climb to a well-positioned sniper perch. Getting comfy with his bow out and drawn, Link aims for his first Bokoblin. Then Revali flies up behind him, a great gust of air comes with him, and it catches the attention of the Bokoblins. Both Revali and Link huddle down, waiting for the Bokoblins to forget about them. The whole time Link scowls at Revali, who only raises his brow as if to test his patience further.

Six Bokoblins sniped and one pair of handsome maracas later, Link is smugly walking Revali back down the path. Revali, having forfeited talking any sense into Link, follows with heavy apprehension.

Link stops at the exact spot he had stared at last time and procures the maracas for the air. The air then envelopes the maracas and Revali takes a step back. There…was something here. Something strange, possibly threatening, and Revali could not see what in the world it could be. But Link could.

For the rest of Link’s interaction with Hetsu, Revali studies Link. He had never understood why Link had to be the one with the most crucial role. To be the one with the darkness sealing sword…it is a heavy burden. And one Revali would take up in a heartbeat. True, he might romanticize it a tad bit, but to be remembered as The One Who Vanquished Ganon… It just felt right to want that. That is Link’s role though… Maybe this is why.

Spooked, Revali follows after Link once his transaction with the spirit is over.

He takes his time, but once Revali is recomposed, he asks, “What is it like?” Link raises an eyebrow over at him.  “What are the spirits like? Does that goddess woman let them wander the earth? Do you even know?” Revali is looking at Link, maybe even a little desperate to understand more, and Link can’t possibly answer all of that. He doesn’t know any more about them than Revali does.

Revali grows frustrated by Link’s prolonged silence. His patience isn’t his greatest virtue. “Well, do they look different? I mean, they are spirits, so they must look different-“ Link giggles and Revali’s eyes dart over to him in an instant. “What?”

“They look like leaves.”

“Leaves?” Revali asks, surprised.

“Yeah,” Link smiles and pulls out one of the few golden seeds he has. “They give me these things. They’re for Hetsu’s maracas.”

“This is making less and less sense,” Revali bemoans. They are starting to come up to where the Bokoblin camp was.

“Hetsu was the spirit I just talked to,” Link explains, putting his seed away. “He’s a lot bigger than the others. I think they are actually called Korok, by the way.” Revali nods, but his face is still pinched.

“So… You can talk to spirits called Korok… Who look like leaves.”

“Maybe tiny trees is a better description..?” Link asks with a big ole shrug. He’s glad he doesn’t have to fight over their existence though. Disappearing maracas are Revali’s breaking point of disbelief apparently.

“I swear if you’re just making things up to make a fool of me-“ Revali starts, but Link quickly begins holding onto his arm and shakes his head.

“No, I wouldn’t,” Link smiles, soothing out some of the feathers on Revali’s arms that had started to rise at the idea. “I swear, the Korok are little mischief tree spirits who are all pranking a bigger Korok named Hetsu. They stole his seeds for his maracas and now if I find them, he’ll expand my storage. I wouldn’t lie about this,” Link says with a wide grin on his face. From Revali’s point of view, it was the least assuring and most mischievous way of trying to explain this.

Revali smoothly pulls his wing out of Link’s grasp and hurries on ahead. “Whatever you say. But maybe keep this from the other champions for now. Least they think you’ve gone mad.”

Link smiles and shakes his head. At least someone else knows now.

With the Korok issue out of the way, Link thinks back to when Revali had been following him to the stable. Hadn’t Revali wanted to talk to him? He taps at Revali’s shoulder, but he gets another instinct. Link catches himself dashing his finger onto his palm before he frowns down at his hands.

“What’s up?” Revali asks, looking down at Link’s hands too.

Link frowns and shakes his head before speaking, “What were you going to ask about? Before we talked to Hetsu?”

“Hm?” Revali hums, now also trying to remember his line of thought from back then. “Oh,” His beak drops open a little before he closes it again. “Just about horses. Nothing important.”

Link smiles up at Revali’s averted face in bemusement. He’s going to give up his competitiveness over this then? For some reason, that doesn’t sound like Revali at all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Next chapter's gonna be coming out next Tuesday!
> 
> Thank you guys for all of your support! It means so much to read your comments and opinions on how the story is turning out :D
> 
> And yes, there is some sign language in this chapter. But telling you guys what those signs could mean...just doesn't feel in the spirit of rediscovering a lost part of yourself like that. Later though, I'll provide translations! Especially for a certain sign that you will defiantly be seeing again!


	4. Dueling Peaks

Revali and Link walk the rest of the route in companionable silence. Link stops occasionally to harvest mushrooms and to solve a stray puzzle on the way. Revali, though impatient, stops and watches Link with at least a respectful amount of distance. The one puzzle intrigues the Rito; a cloud of leaves blowing from thin air make him wonder on the nature of Koroks even more. Such odd, but ethereal beings they must be.

Eventually the duo spies the other half of their party, all perched up outside the entrance to Kakariko.

“About time!” Daruk hollers from his sitting position next to Link’s grazing horse.

Urbosa and Mipha sit by him, but Urbosa makes to stand up upon seeing Revali and Link. She gives Mipha a hand up and then puts a hand on her hip as she inspects the newly arrived. “You’ve got your carrots alright?”

“Uh, sure have!” Link gives her a thumbs up. Urbosa looks on at him with an arched brow, but he tries to ignore her as he gets close enough to grab Apple by her reins.

“You haven’t waited long I hope,” Revali says briskly. No one really answers, though Mipha side-eyes him pretty hard.

Officially making their first steps into Kakariko together, the champions lose their breath as they look around them. Mipha starts to tear up and Daruk puts a strong hand on her shoulder. They had all hoped things would still be okay, but this village…

“Oh…” Everyone looks as Revali lets out a worried coo. He stoops over someone else, who is curled up on the ground.

“Travelers!” The person exclaims in surprise. She slowly tries to stand and Link watches in amazement as Revali offers his wing for her. The bird actually has real, usable manners.

The elderly woman before them steadies on her feet and looks up at all of them. “It feels as if I had just twisted my ankle. I’m sorry you had to see me like that.”

“No, it’s quite alright. Can we help you get to a safer location?” Revali asks and the elderly woman considers him and then shakes her head.

“I’ll be fine, but thank you for the consideration.” Her eyes travel through the rest of the party, but her eyes stray on the Shekiah Slate. “Hey, boy… Where did you get that…object hanging from your waist?”

Link considers how much she probably knows. The woman they were to come to lives here, so she must be one of the Shekiah. But maybe it was good to lend an ear to caution and to keep it short. “Well, this is a Shekiah Slate. I got it during the beginning of our travels at The Great Plateau.”

“I see,” The old woman smiles at him, “That Shekiah Slate is a symbol. It means you are the hero of legend. Though there are few of us who know of such legends anymore… But we Shekiah have been waiting for you for a very long time. Please…before all else, you should meet with our leader, Lady Impa.”

“Where could we find her?” Urbosa asks gently.

The old lady’s eyes trail behind them, and everyone turns to look over the village. “Lady Impa’s house is below Latern Falls – just over there.

“In any case,” Everyone looks back to the lady. “It was a real honor to meet you. Heh, suppose you’re all used to that having lived as long as you have.”

Most try to ignore that last comment, but a weird feeling fills the air as they keep on heading into town. Eyes follow them as they continue their progression. It starts to feel a bit like a parade, people stopping what they are doing to blatantly stare. Some even come to the road to watch them go by.

At Lady Impa’s house there are two guards, who stiffen up the moment they try to approach the entrance.

“You there! Who are you?! How dare you trespass onto Lady Impa’s abode!” Most of the group holds their hands up in a silent plea to show good faith with the guards. Link wants to give an answer, but the guard is still talking, “Hm? Is that…could that be a Shekiah Slate? That would mean you are… No that’s not possible. Can it be?”

The guards mellow out a little and loosen their stances. The champions lower their hands in response.

The other guard speaks, “Please forgive us for behaving so rudely. Of course we have heard the legends from Lady Impa herself. Please friends, go ahead and step inside.” They separate and look on as the champions take to the stairs.

The shadow that Daruk had been overcasting on the others falters though, and Mipha and Link look back at Urbosa and Daruk. Urbosa stands on the first couple of steps and looks at Daruk doubtfully. He doesn’t seem to want to test his luck with the wooden steps. The guards are also looking on in apprehension.

“What’s the hold up?” Revali asks impatiently from the top.

“Daruk cannot be expected to climb these stairs,” Urbosa hisses and she looks back at the guards. “Is there any possibility of looking for an outside audience with her ladyship?”

The guards look between each other, but they seem to come up with a silent understanding. They nod and the Champions on the stairs climb back down to let one of the guards through.

The guard who stays behind beckons the Champions to follow. Leaving Apple in front of Lady Impa’s home, they treed behind the guard for a short while until they arrive at their destination. Along the base of a cliff side there stands a group of stones stood up to be their tallest height. Farther in between that cliff side and the cliff on the opposite side, there is an open drop that is only curtailed by a wooden fence. A large tree stands proudly by that fence. Link takes a quick hike up it to leisurely hang his legs over the boughs.

Daruk takes a seat by this same tree and Urbosa goes to sit by him. They are whispering to themselves and Urbosa pats his hands reassuringly. Revali stands by the fence, half-listening in on the whispering and half-viewing the spreading landscape below their perch. Mipha stays by the standing stones in silent thought.

They wait there for however many drawling moments. After awhile, everyone takes to sitting and chatting under the tree together.

“What do you think the pile of rocks are for?” Urbosa asks conversationally. This earns a huff from Revali, but Mipha gives it a quiet thoughtfully look again.

Daruk laughs, “It’s their breakfast pile obviously! They must keep their best rocks hidden deep underground though. Rocks out like this aren’t too-too amazing.”

That gets an elbow and a chuckle out of Urbosa, but Mipha frowns. “I believe it to be a place of worship, actually. I’d like to think it’s for pray, but since there are already other places in town for that, it is more realistically a graveyard.”

Daruk quiets down almost immediately. Why would the guards make them wait in a place like this? Link gives the stones a curious eye and jumps down to give them a closer look.

The sound of wheels rolling on grass catches their attention though, and everyone looks up to see the guards again. However, now they walk on either side of a girl who is pushing a wheelchair for a much older woman in a large hat that blocks the view of her entire face.

The girl pushes the wheelchair up into the standing stones semi-circle. Link pulls himself closer to his people, but kneels considerably closer to the elder than anyone else. Not wanting to be shown up, Revali moves himself to sit next to Link. So then everyone has to move forward to not feel left out. The old woman chuckles as she slowly lifts her head up to reveal her face. The girl and the guards take leave. 

“So…you are finally awake,” The elderly woman begins solemnly, but she is quick to smile at them all, “It has been quiet a long time, Champions. I am much older now, but…you still remember me, don’t you?” She leans forward and gives them a keen look. Her happiness fades a little when unregistering faces look back at her.

The elder looks at them with concern. “What is the matter? You are looking at me as though I am a stranger. Those eyes… They lack the light of familiarity.” She focuses then on Link. “It is I, courageous one. Impa. Surely _you_ must at least remember the name, Impa?”

Link shakes his head sadly, and the rest can only look on in a solemn solidarity.

She leans forward with a shock, “I see. You have lost your memory.” Impa is quick to recover though, and she sits back up straight. “It matters not. In fact, that may actually be a blessing in disguise for the time being. Dear Champions, please lend me your ears. Come closer.”

The group, though shy, come closer and Impa only lets them stop once they form a tight-knit circle around her. She settles back in her chair and looks up to the heavens. “A hundred years ago…” She says almost pitifully. She swallows and looks back at her crowd. “Yes, a hundred years ago Hyrule was destroyed.

“After you fell, Link, it was Princess Zelda’s final wish to place you in a sacred slumber. And then…all alone… Alone she went to face Ganon. Before Princess Zelda left to nobly meet her fate, she entrusted me with some words she wished to say to you. To all of you. I have been waiting one hundred years to deliver the princess’s message.

“However! These words that the princess wished to leave to you… Well, if you are to hear them now, you must be prepared to risk your life as well. But I am afraid that burden may be too much to bear while you are still without your memories. I leave the choice to you. When you feel you are ready to receive the princess’s message, return to me.”

The group remains silent, but it is clear Impa doesn’t have much else to say. “So…” Daruk starts slowly, “Should we just… have a conference somewhere else then? Will you still be out here?”

“I am afraid just being out here is a liability to my village, in these days. I will have to return to my home after this conversation.” She considers a thought she has for a moment before speaking again, “If you were inclined to separate as a group, I would be willing to tell all those who feel they are ready to hear her words now. I will wait here for a short while longer for you to decide.”

Revali rises first. “Thank you for your audience, your ladyship. We will consider this matter carefully, but swiftly.”

Impa nods and watches them walk back towards the center of the town. The guards pass them on the way and looking over his shoulder, Link sees them stand close to Impa’s side. Up on the porch of Impa’s house, the girl from earlier stands by the door.

“Where should we go? There’s people no matter where you look…” Urbosa sighs out, looking around.

“Maybe to the pot by that general store? There is only a small child there…” Mipha suggests and the group follows after her. She kneels down in front of the child, who is lost in thought. “Could we have the pot please? We have not eaten in quite a long time,” Mipha asks the child.

The child perks up, but then her eyebrows furrow. “Koko is making dinner.” She lightens up then. “Today’s dinner is veggie cream soup! It’s supper nourishing and fortifying. Well, that’s what they say anyway. So it must be true!” Mipha smiles patiently at the child. “All you have to do is throw a swift carrot, rock salt, and fresh milk in a pot and stir it up! Then, voilà! So yummy!”

Daruk takes a seat by the pot while Mipha talks to Koko. Urbosa settles in next to him. Revali takes to pacing in the street.

Koko gasps in horror then. “Oh, no! Koko is all out of swift carrots!” Link hears Revali mutter out an ‘oh, bother’ and he gives Revali an evil eye over his shoulder. “But…Koko promised Colta she’d make some hasty veggie cream soup…”

Urbosa speaks up, “Well, maybe if you ask one of these kind men, they’d give you some carrots? Wouldn’t that be nice?” Urbosa asks, a smile on her face.

Koko perks up immediately. “Oh, would you?!” Link nods with a smile and the girl jumps in excitement. “Oh, thank you! Koko will make dinner for all of you if you want?! Just three carrots. Three is all Koko needs. Koko will wait here and get started!”

Urbosa watches curiously as Link and Revali head into the general store.

When they return, everyone squeezes together around the pot and watch as Koko stirs up a mouthwatering stew. Revali, unable to watch as Koko precariously tries to carry a heavy pot home, takes the pot from her and walks her home.

Stews in hand, everyone waits for Revali to return.

“I take it you will listen to Princess Zelda’s final words, Daruk?” Urbosa asks calmly. She stirs her soup aimlessly.

“Won’t we all? I asked to have a meeting more as a courtesy,” His brow furrows, “I assumed we all were ready to go to the castle. Right all this wrong that’s been dealt.” Daruk looks around, but becomes concerned by a general lack of conviction from the others. “That is what we are doing, right?”

Mipha sets down her bowl and clasps her hands together. She avoids meeting Daruk’s gaze and Daruk’s face opens in realization.

“Oh. I see.” He glances between Urbosa and Mipha. “That was never going to actually happen.”

“No, Daruk-“ Urbosa tries, but Daruk interrupts her.

“We spent all this time, looking for answers, listening to these stories about how we FOUGHT for a caus-“

“Did I miss something?” Revali asks skeptically, and surprises everyone else. He picks up his bowl by Link’s side and sits down closely in between Link and Daruk. 

“Only that the sisters are closer to each other than they care to be to this actual, world-ending problem we have here!”

Shocked, Urbosa shushes Daruk, looking around to make sure no one heard what he had said. Looking up, the girl from earlier was looking down at them with wide eyes. She quickly heads inside the house.

“What, do you think there is time to wait? Princess Zelda is counting-“

“Daruk that is enough,” Mipha intervenes. Her glare is hard and her jaw is set. “I cannot be putting myself in so much danger when there may still be people out there waiting on me. Loved ones who wonder when I will wake up again. Or do they even know I was resurrected?” Daruk looks only slightly abashed, but he holds strong against her onslaught. “I owe so many answers to those so close to me. I will not be making alliances and pledging myself to causes when I do not know enough to make those decisions.” She looks at him, now pleadingly. “Daruk, we were only reborn last week. Won’t you reconsider?”

Daruk rises, not having eaten anything this whole time. “I’m afraid I can’t. This whole village is just as much our responsibility as any family that could be around now. My family will understand why they had to wait.”

His piece said, Daruk walks off back to Impa.

Sullen, the group eats in silence for many minutes thereafter. They watch as Daruk then leaves the village, following some instruction from a woman he barely knows. Not even a parting word is given.

Bowls set aside, Daruk’s absence is a huge hole in the party.

Revali steels himself beside Link and Link cringes. “I am afraid…I will have to second his vote.” He stands up and Link stands with him. “I cannot waste time when lives could be saved. I understand your point, Mipha,” he looks to her in pity. “I really do.” He looks to Link then, “I just can’t spend any more time chasing ghosts. There are tangible things of the present to concern ourselves with. I just hope we will meet again soon enough.” He squeezes Link’s shoulder and bows his head to the group.

Link slumps back down into his seat and watches Revali go to take his audience with Impa.

“Well, Link, will you also be leaving us?” Urbosa asks flatly. Mipha slides over to her and rests her head against Urbosa’s shoulder.

Link considers Mipha and Urbosa carefully. On one hand, he did not want the party to split up even more than it already has. On another, he can’t make a fair decision on who will need more help in the future without knowing what Revali and Daruk will have to go through. To find that out though… He would have to leave Mipha and Urbosa. Link curses the unfairness that Impa has imposed onto their peaceful family. Right in front of him is all that matters in the present…

“I’ll travel with you two,” Link starts, leaning in. “But only if you agree to help the cause once we have checked up on your families. Both of your families, yeah?”

“Maybe not both…” Urbosa mutters.

Mipha says then, “If the cause isn’t the right cause? If we find out Ganon is not actually the cause of all this pain…”

Link thinks that might be a far cry from reality, but for the peace…he nods. He will stay with these two no matter what turns out to be true.

Bowels empty, Link gets up to cart the pot and what not over to the little creak by the Goddess Statue. He dunks the pot in the water and let’s his eyes wander. Beside him Her likeness stands, clothed in some hopefully-traditional cloths by the villagers. He would pray now, but he hasn’t the orbs for it. Nor the conviction honestly. It feels like his family is falling apart.

In the corner of Link’s left eye, he can see Revali sitting in front of Impa. Whatever Zelda’s message was, it must be serious business. Revali never pays such solid and nonjudgmental attention otherwise. Or maybe… Link just doesn’t know him well enough to know otherwise.

That thought, it hurts actually. It hurts probably more than it should. It puzzles Link, and he catches himself staring very blatantly at Revali. The pot hangs loosely by his hand in the river. Revali stands up, supposedly saying his goodbyes, and Link catches his eye accidentally.

Link looks purposefully back at the pot. He picks up a cloth from his storage, and he rolls the cloth over the pots surface. This tortures him, though, and he can’t keep his eyes away. When he looks up, Revali is much closer. He looks to be taking the path out of town, but instead of going back the way they came, he comes down this stretch of street that Link’s on.

Confused, Link tries to say something to Revali as he passes, but Revali shakes his head. He says something, too silent to hear, and he keeps on walking. Link can’t help but to watch as Revali disappears pass the bend of the road past the general store.

Once sure that Revali is gone, he scolds down at his pot. Almost clean.

Red calves appear beside him, and he looks up as Mipha takes a seat by the creak with him.

“Is it hard? The stew might be caking to the bowls…” Mipha says, picking up a bowl. She examines it before dunking it in the creak. “Oh! Thank goodness, it does wash out just fine…”

Link looks back to the pot and resumes scrubbing it out. He isn’t sure what to say. What is there to say? Today had started out so well… Why couldn’t they stay at the stable and watch Revali chase horses all day?

“Link…” Mipha says slowly. She pulls out the last bowl. Last of a forth bowl they wouldn’t need anymore. “Thank you. For staying with me and Urbosa.” She looks up and gives Link a small smile. “I know it couldn’t have been easy to choose a side.”

Link nods and pulls out the pot. He shakes it out and rests it in the grass.

A pair of golden hands clasp themselves on Link’s and Mipha’s shoulders. “Dishes cleaned? We need to talk to Lady Impa soon. She won’t wait all day,” Urbosa spouts. With another squeeze, she lets go of their shoulders to let them stand up. Link hurries to replace the pot and Mipha gathers up their bowls.

They head over for their audience with her ladyship.

Impa looks up to them sadly as they confess to her that they are not ready to hear Princess Zelda’s final message. Sat immediately in front of her is Urbosa, who is flanked by Link and Mipha. Impa nods in understanding as they give their reasons.

A small smile graces her aged face as Mipha apologizes for putting the concern for her family over Princess Zelda.

“No, child, you are more than entitled to make sure you’re people are okay. Zora, like you, last for hundreds of years. Your family will be beyond happy to see you have awakened. They were the ones to carry you to your slumber, after all.”

“What do you mean?” Mipha asks, miffed. Hundreds of years…how is that possible?

“It is not my place to explain…” Impa comments, eyes cast aside. “What happened to you Champions is the greatest grief across all walks of life.” She smiles then, eyes back on Mipha. “Your people will be so happy to see you have returned. And maybe then… Then after you remember more about where you are from… You will feel freer about giving as much as you once have already.”

“Where, then, could we find the Zora?” Urbosa asks politely.

Impa gives this some thought before she settles on her response. “I would not normally consider suggesting this route, but you are not just normal travelers. You are so much more than that, to me and to my entire village.

“There is a winding path, up to a shrine you may have already seen. It rests up at the top of the mountain, just behind you. Continue up this path… And you will find a peculiarly large flower bud. A demanding thing,” She scoffs, confusing everyone. But she continues. “Carry on past this flower, you will know which one I mean when you come to it, but then you will eventually meet a split in the road, carved by the mountains and hills.

“Continue left at this split and you will find open fields for miles. It is a very peaceful scenery, but you will need to continue north-west to make it to the Lanayru Wetlands. This route may make you swim a bit, I apologize. Maybe the runes on the Sheikah Slate will be of help,” She says smartly. “The Lanayru Wetlands are the mouth of the beast that is the path towards Zora’s Domain.” The group can’t handle how lengthy of an explanation this is and Impa laughs at their strained faces. “I never said this was an easy trek!

“But you will need to head towards the most northern part of the Wetlands, and after crossing another river or two, you will find the traveling path again. You continue east on this path. The path will split again, but continue east-do not go north. Shortly on the eastern path, you will see the shrine known as Soh Kofi Shrine. You will know you are in the right place at this shrine. The path is-“ She laughs. “The path is straight forward from there. You should arrive at Zora’s Domain three days after reaching Soh Kofi. It could take fairly over a week to reach it from here.”

“That…” Link says in stupor. “That is a lot to remember for a week.”

Impa laughs. “Indeed. You can barely hold your memories as it is,” She jokes. “I will have Paya write down my instructions for you at our home. I take it you will have no grudges going in, now that the giant has left?”

Though the joke falls a little flat, they accept her offer anyway.

A guard comes on her call and wheels her to her steps and the other guard helps him lift her seat out from the hollowed-out wheelchair. She rides, with surprising balance, on a platform with handles on either side. They carry her up and Paya opens the doors for them at the top of the stairs.

The house is dim on the inside, but Urbosa, Mipha, and Link take a look around as the tribal people help Impa onto a pile of pillows.

Not much longer, the girl rushes upstairs. The guards leave and Impa rearranges herself on her pile.

“Do you have any questions for me, Champions?” She looks now to Urbosa. “Would you like the instructions to the Gerudo people as well?”

“To the Gerudo?” Urbosa asks back, considering the option. “…No I believe it wise to not get them involved as much with this business. I will seek them out after we consider this matter more carefully.”

Impa looks back at her with raised eyebrows. “I see. No matter. Although I should give you fair warning, many of your relations must have passed in the hundred years that have gone by. But, I am sure there is at least one relation of whom you would be very pleased to meet, if you were to take to seeking her out.”

“Do you know her name?” Urbosa asks, plainly curious if not confused. She had not thought much of any of her family survived past those one hundred years.

“If I remember correctly, her name was Riju. Koriga Riju.”

“Riju is our family name?”

“I cannot be sure that it is yours. But it is a family name.”

“I see…” Urbosa falls silent and thoughtful. 

The girl, Paya, stumbles back down the stairs with a paper in hand. With shaking hands, she offers the paper to Urbosa. The ink still looks wet.

“Thank you,” Urbosa says. The girl nods nervously before taking her post beside Impa. Impa whispers something in the girl’s ear, and the girl rushes back upstairs.

“Please wait a moment for Paya. She has something else to give you,” Impa says kindly.

“Of course,” Mipha says with a nod. She seems to hesitate, but she kneels down in front of Impa. Urbosa seems to be in another world and Link doesn’t want to pry on whatever Mipha could be asking, but it is hard to ignore the only conversation in the room.

“Could you…” Mipha starts, losing some courage. “Could you tell me something of my surviving family?”

Impa frowns, concentrating. “Your family… Well your family composed of you, your father, and your much younger brother. I cannot remember the name to your brother, I apologize.” Mipha nods in understanding and Impa continues, “Your father, however, is the king of the Zora people. His name is King Doraphan. He and his domain have been a part of Hyrule’s kingdom for hundreds of years. The Zora have, to the best of my knowledge, always been on good terms with the Hylians.”

“Wait…” Mipha says, a hand to her face. “Did you say a king?”

Impa smiles, leaning her head to the side. “Yes, you come from a very long line of royalty. Your people know you as Princess Mipha.”

Mipha stands up abruptly. “I-I’m sorry, I’m not feeling too well. I must head outside at once.” And with that, she rushes out of the house.

“So sorry to cut this conversation short. It is a bit overwhelming, I’m sure you understand,” Urbosa says, edging to the door herself. “I’ll go make sure she’s okay. We will take care to tell you, however, when we make our leave.”

“Thank you,” Impa nods and Urbosa rushes out as well. “Will you stay? To accept Paya’s instructions. I had her write down the directions to the Gerudos as well,” She winks at Link. Link smiles nervously back at her and finds it would probably be rude to continue standing so far away from her.

Pulled to her by courtesy, he comes closer to her and sits on his legs.

She sighs, “I will not push you to take risks you are not in your best senses to make. I only wish for you to make the choices right for yourself.”

Link nods, feeling a little relieved. If the elder isn’t too concerned over their detour, then it must not have all gone wrong quite yet. There is still time.

Impa smiles though, “Ah, still a man of few words. I expected no less.” Her hands flash in front of her, and Link can’t even barely catch what some of the hand motions are. Or what they could mean. “Oh…” Impa looks on at him, complexed. “Curious, I had thought maybe…but then you can’t be expected to remember much.”

Left confused, Link isn’t sure what to say to Impa. Luckily, Paya comes patting back down the stairs again. They both turn to watch her walk over.

“H-here…” She says quietly and Link takes the paper from her hands. Her face goes redder when their hands touch and she pulls hers away quickly. She returns to her post, hands trying to cover her face from embarrassment. Link looks over the paper and finds it just as complex sounding as Mipha’s directions were. Wonderful.

“Please do take good care of Champion Urbosa and Champion Mipha. And of yourself, Link. We would not want you all to fall a second time.”

Link agrees whole-heartedly.

The trio stay in Kakariko for a couple more days. They have a lot of planning to do. Not to mention there is a shrine here to collect on as well.

The second day in Kakariko, Link encourages the girls to come to the shrine, though some reluctance is shone. They are happy to have went when the monk departs on them all some fighting knowledge that had been long forgotten. It takes the better part of the day, but they leave the shrine in top form.

When they come back in town, they meet Koko’s sister, Colta, who is running around excitedly. She asks Link if he’ll run around with her and he can’t refuse. Mipha notices Koko by the cooking pot again, so her and Urbosa go down to help her out again.

After Mipha and Koko finish, Mipha separates some dishes out for their group and then she helps Koko carry the rest home. Link and Colta run pass her, precariously close. Link shoves Mipha’s shoulder and she has to make a quick grapple to make sure the stew doesn’t spill all over Koko. Link turns on his heels and gives Mipha an apologetic look, but she just shakes her head with a huff. Colta joins her sister up to their house and Link walks down to where Urbosa is waiting by the general store.

She holds her wooden bowl in hands, square spirals decorate the sides. She seems to be waiting for the other two to sit with her to eat. “Did you see that clothing store in town?” She asks, stirring her soup.

Link sits down and cranes his head back at the mentioned storefront. He nods at her. Apparently that’s enough for her.

“I want to see if maybe we could upgrade our armor there,” She looks down both her body and Link’s then, “We are basically walking around in nothing like this. It won’t do in the long run.” Link nods again, but then a thought comes to him. He pulls out his Rupee bag and takes a peak. Could be 123 Rupees there, give or take. He gives Urbosa a grievous look and she sighs. “I suppose we could pool our wealth, for this at least.”

Link sighs again and shoves his bag of coin over to her. She grabs it gleefully, but turns sour when she looks in. “Really, Link? Do you not have anything to sell?”

“Are you two talking about buying supplies?” Mipha asks from behind Link, startling the poor boy. He sits up straighter when she comes to sit in between him and Urbosa.

“Yeah,” Urbosa says. “More specifically: armor. We’ll probably be well leeched trying to buy anything half-decent. We will have to see what the prices are.”

“Oh,” Mipha puffs, pulling off a bag from her chains, “Let me see…… Oh…”

Urbosa groans then, “Just hand it over, I’ll make it work.” She holds out her hand, and Mipha plops the money bag in her hand.

They start eating, having a light quip over what kinds of armor and clothing they’d like to wear. Given the choice. Mipha doesn’t seem to have much of a preference. As long as it’s durable and lets her swim freely, she’s happy. Urbosa, surprising, is the one to be prone for the gaudy. Gold even! Who would even want gold plated armor!

“What about you, Link?” Urbosa asks through a mouthful of stew.

Link holds his chin thoughtfully. He didn’t really mind anything gaudy, but he could defiantly see the appeal for practical, durable armor. He supposes he isn’t too picky either way, but he wants to joke with them a little.

“Anything that shows a little skin,” He says slyly, giving them both devious glances. “Don’t want those monsters to forget who the better looking one is in these parts.” He winks at Mipha then, and she chocks on her mouthful. Urbosa and Link laugh, and Urbosa gives good-meaning slaps onto Mipha’s back. Trying to regain her poise, Mipha flushes furiously, looking down at her lap. Poor girl.

Later they are happy the night is still young enough that the clothing store is still open. Claree welcomes them to her shop, where she sells her own line of handmade outfits. Mipha is immediately put off by the only options being tailored for just Hylians, but Claree is quick to assure her that she could refit the clothing as needed. She mumbles something about never getting new customers…

The rest of the night is spent setting the trio up in their own sets of Hylian gear. Mipha has to opt-out of the trousers, for her fins not to be cramped up. But for the most part, the gear is fitted rather well for them all. Link giggles to himself when they all leave the shop with their hoods up, like a group of thugs. They’re penniless now enough for it to even be kind of plausible. If only kind of.

He clenches the scarf in his pocket then. Just a little something for stealth then. And if they ever meet up with Revali again, and he so wished to go horse chasing again…Then Link would be better prepared to give him a fighting chance.

It was a costly gift, one he had sold a lot of food to get, but it makes no difference. They have all the food and weaponry they will need for their journey. It is agreed that they will say their parting with Impa in the morning and head out. The trip to Zora’s Domain is nothing to sneeze at after all. But it should be worth it to see the smiles on all of Mipha’s people. Her family must be missing her especially.

A tribe of people who can live for hundreds and hundreds of years… Link wonders what they must be like… Maybe he’ll remember someone from there. He laughs at his own thought, snuggled up in his bed at the inn. It doesn’t seem that likely, but you never know.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tuesday update is confirmed! 
> 
> Thank you so much for your continued support with this story!


	5. Tabantha Frontier

_Free the Divine Beasts._

Revali contemplates Zelda’s last wishes as he flies across the land. Homeward bound.

His Divine Beast was a bird. Apparently it is still his if he wishes to have it. He isn’t sure what good it will do if there is no legendary sword to accompany it though… The Beast is only so good at simply helping to bring the downfall of Ganon. They will need Link sooner or later.

Revali wants to be mad at the rest still in Kakariko. He really does. There just…isn’t any spark there. No outrage. He wants to see who has survived just as badly as they do.

He feels self-conscious just going into town like this. Will they believe that he really is The Revali? He has remained ungroomed for maybe more than acceptable. Not clumsy, but surely not a great a fighter as he once was. And really, who will remember him anyway?

Not that that matters right now. In the distance, he can see it. The great mechanical bird flies slowly by. Surely that must be it: the answer to all their problems and then some. But how does the beast fly without a pilot? Propelled by curiosity, Revali refrains from any flight-breaks to try to make better time.

As he gets closer, maybe a ten minute dive to the village below, a barrier surrounding the beast becomes more and more visible. The closer he gets the more concerned he becomes. A pair of fliers twirl around the outside of the Divine Beast. They shoot arrows uselessly at the Beast’s shield and dive just out of range of the beams of light that shoot back their way. Under Ganon’s control, Revali sees his Divine Beast is no friend of the people.              

Revali gives himself a push upward more to try to get an aerial view. The cold is starting to nip at his talons. The fellow Rito haven’t seen Revali yet, still performing their dance around the lasers. They are getting precariously close. The white one shoots the cannon straight on, though it still aims for the black Rito.

The red light blazes through the air and Revali jerks into action when he sees the targeted Rito fall. The white Rito dives downward as well and the cannon aims onto them. Revali pulls out his bow and descends far enough down that he can get a clean shoot off. The cannon explodes before it can go off again.

Peering down, the two Rito are still falling down to the earth. Revali dives and the white Rito looks relieved when he sees Revali’s face. Together they wrangle the fallen over both of their shoulders and glide the short distance left. They land softly in a wooden area, close to the path up toward the village.

“You okay, Harth?” The white Rito asks as they try to prop Harth up on his legs. Harth tries to look up at them, but his eyes roll and he slumps heavier into their arms. “Steady now, steady.”

Harth dead on his feet: Revali and the white Rito half-drag him toward the path.

“Help!” The white Rito calls. He looks back and forth along the wood-laid path. “Guard! We need help over here!” They continue to try to make it up to the village, but a guard from both up and down the path converge on them and take their burden. The pair of guards take him into their arms with ease. Revali rolls his wing, feeling every ache that would plague him after that exerting day of flying.

“Stranger,” the white Rito accosts Revali, “Why haven’t we met before now? And why now of all times?”

Revali gives him a frown before turning his head away. “It’s been a long time since I’ve been home.” He rubs the muscles in his wings. They’ll be sore for days if not a week or two. But at least he isn’t Harth right now.

“You’re no older than I am though. Surely we should have meet before now,” the other guy presses, though he is trying to be laid back about it. Detached.

Revali thinks on that before giving a sarcastic laugh. “No, I would think that I am actually much older than appearances make me out to be.”

“That so?”

By now they are entering the gates of the village. Looking around, Revali can tell that he likes the feel of this place already. Feels good to be here. Feels homey.

“Yes. I’m sorry, but I need to go talk to the chief as soon as possible,” Revali remarks off-handedly.

“Of course. That turkey worries over everyone. Too dangerous to be outside the village nowadays.”

Revali smirks back at him. “Not that that stops you, huh.”

“No,” the white Rito replies, only too seriously. “That Divine Beast has been a disaster ever since it woke up, not even three weeks ago. No one feels safe to even fly now. Let alone the monsters on the ground…”

Revali’s face hardens. “That is troublesome.” He glances up at his Beast, still lazily making its turns. It seems harmless enough, now that it’s had its fair share.

Revali follows the other Rito and a prolonged silence forms. Both lost in their own thoughts. In short time, they stand together in front of the village elder. Sadly, Revali finds he lacks any recognition of him as well. Although, whether he could have known him at all is still a mystery in itself.

“Teba,” The elder greets the white Rito. “You have returned from your trip up to the Divine Beast. Please tell me how that faired. And who you have replaced you’re partner, Harth, with.” He eyes Revali curiously before returning his gaze to Teba.

Teba sighs and recounts how the Divine Beast threw up a barrier and the cannon’s blast that threw Harth out of the fight. He says how they had managed to keep Harth from free-falling all the way down and that he had only met Revali during that time. That Revali is a new face to him.

“Indeed? New to me as well, Teba. Tell us, stranger, what is your name?”

Revali fidgets for a moment before meeting the elder’s eyes. “I have been told my name is Revali. I have awakened only recently in the Shrine of Resurrection.”

There is a heavily silence. Then Teba clenches his fist and rushes out of the elder’s quarter.

The elder inhales deeply and sighs out in frustration. “The elders before had been prone to tell such fanciful tales. That Revali would come back to us, like a phoenix. Rising from the ashes.” The elder’s face hardens though. “But we all saw his body, son. No one comes back from that. There was no magic that could save him then. And there is no need for him now. We have moved on as a village. If you wish to come back, to redeem whatever scandal threw your family out, you must be honest with us. Do you really wish for your name here to be Revali?”

“…I do, sir,” Revali bows his head, “I mean no disrespect. It is the only name I know.”

“…So it shall be. Revali was a respected member of our community. Try not to bring shame to that name now.

“Setting that aside, you have indeed made a good first impression. I am not too sure what would have been the fate of our dear Harth if not for your timely arrival. You have our gratitude for your bravery and skill in those trying moments. If there is anything you need, please do not be afraid to ask.”

Revali looks up and gives a pained smile. “Thank you, sir. And I assure you, I am here for this village. I have came here with a purpose. I only hope you will hear me out.”

The elder looks forlornly down at him. “Continue.”

“I have traveled here to calm the Divine Beast Vah Medoh. Any information you have on the Divine Beast would be greatly appreciated, but please be assured that I plan on taking this mission on myself solely. I will have no need of your warriors for this battle.”

The elder’s eyes narrow and Revali thinks that maybe he had said too much.

Dismissed from the elder’s presence, Revali ambles down the wooden steps. The sun is low and Revali can think of nothing now except the sweet relief a bed at the inn must have. On his way down he passes something though. It catches his eye, the way there is just conveniently a shrine here. Just for Link. The old Shekiah must have thought highly of him indeed to give him passage to such exclusive places such as the Rito Village.

Revali stops, stunned somewhat from his own elitist thoughts. Was this a ghost of his former self peaking through? Or simply the impression Revali has of the village due to his conversation with the elder. Either way, that’s kind of fucked up. Link has some kind of weird shit going on, magic stuff. It might not make sense to Revali, but all of these things related to the Shekiah and Link…that’s Link’s stuff. Always was. Always was going to be. So he has a wrap portal here to the village. He can’t use it anyway if he never comes here.

Not that they need him here anyway, Revali reasons. This is Revali’s home. Whether the other Rito get that, doesn’t really matter. He’ll recarve his hole back into society and he’ll be known double-over for everything he’s done here. This is enough for now.

Revali watches as little chicks fly to the landing by the shrine, where their anxious mother has been waiting at. Tomorrow he’s going to fix this. He nods at the mother as they pass by him, probably going home. She gives him a strange look as they pass by. Revali can hear the chicklings asking who he was.

Walking out to the landing, he feels the cool wind blow through his feathers lightly. Yes, come tomorrow, Medoh will be his.

The next day, Revali doesn’t know where to start. Clean, fed, and uneasy, he stands on a landing looking up at the Divine Beast. After yesterday, it is easy to tell that the barrier will fall if he can knock out all the cannons. But beyond that? He needs a better plan than just to rush in. He died like that already once enough. The voyage inside of the Beast needs to be carefully considered.

“Hey stranger,” A female’s voice says somewhere behind him. Revali turns around and is greeted by a pink Rito with a white chick in her arms. She smiles bemusedly. “Revali, right?”

“…Right.”

The pink Rito comes to stand beside him and looks up at Vah Medoh. “My husband says you tried to imposter the old Champion yesterday. Odd that you would do that. No one has believed in that fairy tale since our grandfather’s time.”

“So I’ve heard,” Revali remarks bitterly. “I’m sorry, but who are you?” He pauses, looking at her.

“Oh, no, I’m sorry. My name is Saki. I’m Teba’s wife.”

“A good Rito.”

“That’s why I married him. But the men these days… They have been throwing themselves at Medoh this whole time. Barely giving the last failure a thought before they go winging it again,” She scoffs. Her chick fidgets and she seems to realize she has been holding him this whole time.

“Oh sweetie, why don’t you go play while us adults keep talking?” She lowers her chick and he sprints off. “Try to stay in the village now!” She yells after him. Not that he had heard, but it seems to reassure her all the same.

“So none of you know anything about the Divine Beast?” Revali reengages their conversation.

“I have wanted to check somewhere, but Teba says it would be a waste of time…” Saki trails off, but she gives him a pair of big eyes then. “But maybe not all of the men will have to die if we can find something there.”

“And where is it that you’d like to check for information?”

“Revali’s old quarter. It’s close to the surface of the lake, on one of the smaller islands.”

Revali looks over the edge at the smaller islands. “It doesn’t look like anyone lives out there now.”

“The Calamity destroyed much of what Rito Village used to be. All we have is our heart now,” Saki says as she edges closer to the edge of the landing. “Will you come with me?”

_“Will you come with me? We can finally show everyone how amazing you are. We’ll blow them away with how great our family is.” Revali was looking up at his mother’s eager face._

_Ever since he was very young, he would beg his father to let him come along with her and her traveling choir group. They would travel far and wide, performing for royalty and commoner alike. He adored his aunts, every last one of them. His mother had five other sisters, all varying shades of blue. And when they dressed in their choir outfits, they highlighted their eyes with red and white. It was a very striking look that drew in crowds no matter where they were. That was just the kind of family he had._

_She had brought them out to a landing to ask him to join their choir and Revali couldn’t be happier. He knew his father would be dreadfully lonely here as the village medic, but this was his chance to go see the world. He promised him he would consider helping his practice, but this was what he really wanted. He had so much to prove. This was the start of proving himself to his family. And his community._

_He couldn’t have asked for a better present for his sixth birthday._

Tears sprung to Revali’s eyes and he felt a wing at his arm. “Revali? Are you okay there?”

Embarrassed, Revali bristles and rubs his eyes out quickly. Flashes of trips he had taken with his mother and aunts are still coming to mind, but he tries to brush it off. “Yes, I’m fine, thank you. Just remembering something bittersweet. Lead the way.”

Saki gives him an odd look, but jumps off the landing despite her apparent concerns, Revali close on her tail. She drifts down to a cliff edge that juts out of the island below. When they land, Revali gives a good look around. There isn’t much carnage here to his surprise. Actually, there doesn’t seem to be much here at all. Just a lot of boulders and moss.

Revali’s attention is caught when out of nowhere the telltale sizzle of a bomb arrow comes to life. Looking over, he sees Saki notching it into her sparrow bow. Before he can react, let alone say something, she lets the bomb loose and the rocks explode dangerously close.

Rubble rolls to their feet and Revali gaps at Saki as she picks her way on over to where the large boulders had been blocking off a wooden archway. A quarter much like those in the village is burrowed into the side of the island. Revali stares with wide eyes as he looks around his dirt-covered home.

“Wow…” Saki looks around with equally wide eyes. She has picked her way over to a desk that is tucked into the deeps of the quarter. Revali picks his way through the rock to come stand by her. On the desk Saki fiddles with some Rito pens, made very thick and long to be comfortably held by a Rito’s wingtips.

More importantly, picture frames holding mementos of hazy memories are strewn over the desk and hung around the quarter. Revali’s eye dances over the frames, and he catches a portrait of himself hanging by the entrance of the quarter. Raising his eyebrow, he goes to stand by it before calling Saki’s attention.

“Well? How long will the rest of the Rito deny that I am the Champion of lore?” Saki turns and looks in confusion, but then horror when she sees the resemblance of Revali in his portrait. Her eyes dance back and forth between him and the painting. “Go on. It isn’t like I haven’t been waiting a century anyway. What are a couple more minutes,” Revali preens, certain he’s got his fish.

“I….I cannot believe….Is it really you?” She asks flabbergasted.

“The one and only. And I am sorry to ask you after being so kind as to show me to my quarter, but could you please take this portrait,” He pulls the portrait off the wall and drapes the rope on it around Saki’s neck, “and show it to the elder. I’d like to have my identity verified as soon as possible. Especially considering I might be dying again later today.” Revali winces, but let’s that fall as flat as it likes.

Stunned, Saki seems only to stare with wide eyes at him even as she makes her exit and flies off.

When Revali stops watching Saki leave, he lets out a long-held breath and turns back to his room. His room. His demolished hammock. His desk. His pictures… He swipes his wing over a pair of latched-together portraits.

His mother is painted on the left. He has her feathers and apparently her affinity for red eye-liner. Judging by that portrait of himself he just hung onto Saki. He looks at the desk for a picture of himself and sure enough, there the eyeliner is again. The choir had influenced him so much.

The picture on the desk is of himself at a flight range, and Revali’s eyes squint as he focuses on it. In the image, his arms are wrapped around a forgotten Link who apparently needed help with his bowmanship. They stood together with Revali’s wing on Link’s elbow, helping his aim. Although it doesn’t look like Link appreciates the help one bit. His cheeks are red and puffed, like he’s another comment away from making a scene. It’s rather endearing to Revali, especially considering how mischievous his own expression is in the image. Who would paint this? It looks actually too well done to be painted, but what else could it be. Someone had a strange sense of humor. Revali feels weird then. He would have had to commission this to have it. What kind of person would do that?

Revali, embarrassed by his own past antics, reaches over to shove the painting face down on the desk.

 Back to his parents then. His father stares up at him, almost mockingly, from his side beside his mother. He has deep red feathers, red beak, and a very contrasting black face. Revali’s own green eyes shine from the portrait. These are the eyes of someone who cared deeply about his safety, but ultimately more about his happiness. He vaguely remembers his father accompanying them on their travels, but for the most part he must have stayed in the village more.

He sets down his parents and reach for the last picture on the desk. It isn’t framed at all, but still masterfully done on a very thin piece of paper. Revali makes sure to be extra careful with it as he picks it up, frail in its old age. It’s a picture of the Champions all together in one shot. He doesn’t know why they would make this picture so tiny, or even more importantly: so humorous! Daruk, in typical fashion, has bombed what should have been a proper sitting with his rowdiness. All held in his giant arms, the rest of the Champions look shocked to have been pulled so close together. Revali scoffs at his own outraged face, but places the picture down safely all the same. No point wasting well-made art, even if a bit tasteless. 

In grander, more formal paintings on the walls, he can see his mother’s choir. In what was probably the last sitting, he remembers sitting patiently in the middle of his family for the one painting. It was a grueling proceeding, but the painting was well worth it to have now. Precious even.

Revali reaches up to brush off the grim from his former youthful face. It doesn’t come off easy. The restoration work will have to be diligent.

But before that, the Divine Beast must be reined in. Revali spends the next couple of hours scavenging for notes or visuals. Some kind of explanation for what could be happening inside the Divine Beast. Maybe a blueprint. However, none of that seems to be readily available here.

Instead, he finds notes and letters from various people. Some are from the Hylian royalty, talking about his qualifications to become the Rito Champion. There is a bundle that are simply labeled ‘Koriga Riju’, whoever that could be. They smell rather perfumy, though, so it wretches at Revali’s heart some to think on what kind of significance that they could have had in his life. There are several other loose letters, but none that probably held any significantly pertinent information.

There is also a locked drawer to the desk, which he promptly breaks into. Only a singular book lays inside. Revali flips through it eagerly, but is discouraged to find it is just a journal. Important, surely, but a quick skimming brings up barely any mention of the Divine Beast’s name. Useless!

He is about to throw a right tantrum when he hears the flapping of wings closing in on the island. On instinct, he fixes his appearance and stands up properly. Teba stands in the archway, looking the image of awkward.

“Do you require something of me?”

“Why didn’t you know where your own quarter is?” Teba counters, already looking ruffled.

“How is that any of your concern?” Revali remarks. He shuffles on his talons and crosses his arms. Honestly, the nerve.

“Why did you not show us your specialty move, of which no one has been able to master ever since? Revali’s Gale? Was it really so hard to clearly identify yourself? Why did you come to the village looking like a pig fresh from the mud pile? Why…” Teba says breathlessly. He looks angry, but about what, Revali isn’t sure. Though now he’s feeling self-conscious again.

“Why do you look so lost?” Teba asks shortly.

Revali ruffles. “The gall you have!” He inches toward Teba. “I am _not_ lost! What I am and have gone through is _my_ business. And _you_ -“ Revali stabs a wingtip against Teba’s chest plate. “-have no place questioning me like this! Who are you to place all your assumptions onto me! We are all just trying to get by, _boy_ ,” Revali moves past Teba to the ledge outside. “Try not to forget yourself.”

“Where are you going?” Teba asks angrily as Revali takes off, a gale of winding following him.

“I’m going to go tame the Divine Beast like I said I would!”

“Master-!” Revali can’t hear anymore of Teba’s pleas. He is already soaring too high.

 Vah Medoh’s barrier raises up almost immediately upon Revali entering its airspace.  However, Revali is already working on the cannon’s. He only has 10 bomb arrows at this point, so he has to make them count… Maybe jumping up here in a show of theatrics wasn’t the greatest of plans.

The first cannon goes without a hitch. Flying to another one proves to be problematic, though, when he goes to fly above the Beast. Two cannons focus on him at once and he has to slip and dive between beams to make it to the other side. Admittedly, it is rather thrilling to feel the burning hit so close to his feathers.

When he pulls his bow back for his first hit on the new cannon, he notices how the beam seems to be powering up a little fast. He lets the arrow loose a little sooner than he’d like to slip down before the beam can it. The feathers on the top of his head singe, but the arrow hits. And another bomb arrow follows it shortly from a foreign bow. Revali looks around for its source while the cannon explodes. A fair distance above him, Teba rests on the air currents almost leisurely.

“Teba!!” Revali howls at him over the air current. Teba gives him a rather bored look back and heads over to the next cannon. Frustratingly, Revali and Teba safely work through the other two cannon. The barrier falls shortly after. Together, they go to land in front of the Beast’s entrance.

Like any shrine, the entrance is blocked off by what would be rotating brick. Brick that won’t rotate no matter what _now_ because Revali was indeed _not_ the Champion who seals the darkness! Looking back and forth between the pedestal and the blocked entrance, Revali lets out a growl. His fist comes down on the pedestal in frustration. There truly is nothing he can do, is there? He has to sit back on his laurels and _wait_ for that brat to save them all…..

“Master Revali! The barrier!”

Revali looks overhead, and surely enough the barrier is falling back around the Beast. Any chance to leave is shortly escaping. Frustrated, he slams the pedestal again before lifting off to follow Teba. They get out just barely in time.

Princess Zelda is counting on them to free her. Daruk understood right away what their priorities were. Mipha could get home with just Urbosa by her side, so why did Link have to go and stick with them? Honestly, he is just wasting his time with them! And now, he’s wasting Revali’s. Let alone the mountains Daruk will move upon finding out that their job is so dependent on Link’s accompaniment.

Revali shutters. In the meantime… Revali is back at his quarter, letters in hand. Teba had left him with barely a word and now there is quite honestly nothing to do but to sulk. And to await the downfall of all life incarnate. Unpleasant business.

So Revali flips through his enclosed letters, not wanting to have to unwrap all the emotional baggage that they must contain. The journal lays completely untouched.

Little flapping wings can be heard and Revali quickly puts his papers away. “Master Revali?” A lady’s voice calls from outside. “Is it okay if me and my chicks visit you? We’d like to talk if you could.”

Revali sighs, but welcomes the distraction none the less.

“Ewww, it’s smelly in here,” A little green chick proclaims as she walks into the quarter, unannounced.

Revali gives the chick a sympathetic, but curt nod. It does smell of mildew in here.

A blonde Rito gives Revali an apologetic smile as she corals her chick back behind her. She gives the quarter a sad and uneasy smile as she looks around.

“On behalf of the village, we are so sorry we didn’t restore your quarter. We…” She trails, obviously not sure what to say.

Revali stands up and sighs in resignation. “Yeah, so I’ve heard. I wasn’t supposed to come back. Let’s go outside,” He gives the green chick a smile. “It is pretty smelly, isn’t it.”

The breeze is nice outside as Revali goes to sit outside the archway. He pulls out an apple and tries to ignore the earlier failure. Tomorrow is a new day.

“What is your name, ma’am?” Revali asks conversationally.

She looks flustered to be asked, but she sits down by him anyway. Her chicks gather around loosely around them. Though they pester each other more than listen to the conversation at play.

“My name is Amali. These are my chicks,” And she rattles of their names absentmindly. Revali does try to keep track, but after the third he can’t remember the first’s anymore. “But Master Revali-“

“Please, it’s just Revali. I haven’t worked on earning that title in quite some time now,” Revali reprimands, throwing his apple core to the wind.

Amali gives him a look, but she continues, “Okay, _Revali_ … Well, Teba said that you two reached a stop on the Divine Beast. And me and the other women in town… We all agree that the last thing we want is for you two to throw yourselves at it again. You have just returned to us and we’d like to know a lot more about you before you take off again. All of this,” She gestures to the quarter. “It was just a fairy tale. But even so, it is an important part of our culture now.”

“Is that so?” Revali asks, not sure where this was going. It just sounds like ramble.

“Yes!” She exclaims. “We just…we care about you, Revali.” She places a wing on his knee then and he stiffens. “Won’t you let us help you?”

“He-help? Why would I need your help? I’m fine as I am!” Revali squawks.

“…Are you sure about that?” A sassy little peep comes from the pink chick.

Revali gives her his attention. “And what is that supposed to mean?”

“The elder said to bring you new clothes and ribboning at the very least,” Amali finally fesses up. She looks to him bashfully before looking away. “They sent me because they were all so embarrassed by how they had treated you earlier. They want to make peace with you.”

“Oh…” Revali breathes out, settling down. His feathers settle a little and he becomes pleased. “An olive branch, huh… I’d like that.”

The evening is then spent with Revali being reintroduced to what a brush is. Or in the Rito case, what several brushes are. Revali let the chickling’s surround him and brush out the dirt some while Amali explains several of the tools they have. She says it’s important to be better groomed before she lets him even consider sullying the outfit she is to give to him.

In the hour or two it takes to tame the wild mane Revali’s hair had become, Revali relaxes a little.

_“Hehe, sleepy Revali!” A child’s voice whispered nearby._

_“Now, Koriga, I told you to leave that boy be for once! He travels so much, and needs his rest,” A harsher voice chided the child. Still, Revali struggled to open his eyes. The soft brush felt so nice…_

_“It is okay, Urbosa. I believe Revali is just waking up anyway, aren’t you sweetie?”_

_Urbosa’s younger voice sighed out a little, “You shouldn’t just let her have her way all the time, Reaves. She’s spoiled enough as she is.”_

_Revali opened his eyes and saw a bright pair of green Gerudo eyes in turn. The child above him laughed out and Revali quickly sat up, embarrassed to be caught napping in his mother’s lap._

_“I fear that is the way of all royal children,” his mother said wisely._

_It was a hazy warm evening in Gerudo City and the choir was resting before their performance for the crown of Gerudo, Chief Urbosa Riju. Because of Revali’s young age, he was still considered young enough to enter Gerudo City without penalty. And how sad it will be, he thought, when he can no longer come inside. Even at his youngest age, he had known Gerudo City to be one of the finest places they had gone to sing at._

_Revali got up, eager to play with his friend, but his mother stopped him from running off._

_“Don’t forget you need to come back here before dinner. Don’t waste all of your energy in running.”_

_“I_ know _Mom. We come here every three months!” Revali complained before being let to run after his childhood friend. Behind him he can hear his aunts laughing along with his mother’s subdued snicker._

_“Truly terrifying, Reaves. I’m not sure how you manage,” Urbosa’s coy drawl curls through the air. The sound of his family laughing, happily content in the distance fill Revali’s head. He wished they would come here more often._

“All done, Master Revali!” A little chirp by his ear perks Revali’s interest. Amali had gone into the quarter to pull out something, but Revali was preoccupied by the children bouncing his newly tied braids. “Just like in the picture!” The chirper coos out.

“Okay, yes, thank you, young one. I’m sure they look lovely,” Revali hushes her and pulls the braids out from the chickling’s wing.

Amali reappears dusting off some sort of hand mirror. “Here,” She says holding it up for Revali to see the grimy surface. “It’s not great, but it’ll do to show you the braids.”

She hands him the mirror, and Revali tilts his head this way and that. His feathers haven’t looked this good in, well, forever. And the braids… They are a little thick. Maybe uneven, but it would do for now.

“Thank you, for everything. I’ll be sure to talk to the elder come tomorrow…” Revali trails off thinking what he’ll have to do from here on. He can’t just go back to Vah Medoh after all.

_Free the Divine Beasts._

“Is something wrong, Revali?” Amali asks curiously, kneeling down in front of him.

“Vah Medoh is still a problem, but I do not have the proper tools as of yet to gain entrance.”

“Oh!” Amali exclaims. “What is it that you need?”

Revali looks patiently at her enthusiasm and shakes his head sadly. “Something I’m afraid might be a bit hard to come by. I will…have to take a long journey to retrieve it.”

“Oh…”

Retrieve it, he thinks. Yes, just go and pluck the hero of lore up and put him on Vah Medoh. Because that would be much easier than just taking the Slate… Like Link would just let him come and take it from him. Revali looks up at Vah Medoh. Time is something they didn’t really have a whole lot to distribute here, but they all need it desperately.

_Free the Divine Beasts._

 The Beasts… Mipha’s people would have one, probably also causing just as equal amounts of havoc over her people as Medoh is causing his. It irks him, but… Mipha cares so much for this family she is supposed to go see. She would probably do anything for them. Revali frowns up at Vah Medoh.

“It may be a very long time until I can come back, Amali. But do not fret. For when I do, I will put this village back into its restful peace. I promise.”

Amali gives him an uneasy smile, but nods all the same. “Anything you can do for our village is a blessing from the gods. Please know that we fly behind you.”

“Yeah!” Some of the chicklings cheer. Some of the braver even come to drape themselves onto him happily. Revali smiles down at them and ruffles their downy hair.

Only time will tell how achievable that will actually be. Revali glances back at his quarter that holds all of his precious memories of a century gone by. Vah Medoh can be heard humming up above, but if he must loiter about, then there just might be time to remember a thing or two about himself. At least, he’ll have something to mourn if the Calamity strikes them before they can strike back. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -Heyyo next update is coming next Tuesday!-
> 
> Thank you guys so much for your continued support.   
> I don't know if any of my Ao3 readers would be interested, but I do post 'covers' for each chapter on my tumblr account.   
> You can find those covers at this link- https://if-i-mae.tumblr.com/  
> Everything for this story goes under the tag AMSH (just an abbreviation of the story's title) 
> 
> The one for this chapter was Urbosa and Reaves chattin it up, so you can see Reaves in all her oc glory~


	6. Lanayru

The Cryonis walking path isn’t ever anyone’s favorite, but it proved to cut their destination time considerably. Who can complain about that?

Already in the northern area of the Lanayru Wetlands, Link is enjoying the view and the thrill of the journey. So many new places. Monsters everywhere! Urbosa, Mipha, and himself had been working through it all like it’s nothing.

He stares wistfully at the shrine to the west, remembering his promise to Mipha. He would keep his shrine hunting to a minimum while they travel. They couldn’t afford to make such grand detours at the moment, much as it pained him. He needs to be as strong as possible for when everything turns upside down…

Rain starts to trickle and Urbosa and Link tug their hoods over their heads. The tower is close, just a ways up the path. But it is clear from here that monsters litter the path upwards. Link gives Mipha a questioning look. It would cut into their time, but the map update is invaluable.

Looking up, Link tries to decipher how low the sun hangs. They had been walking for a good chunk of the day already, starting from sunrise. Link doesn’t want to pull out their directions in fear of sogging up the paper, but if he remembers right then the Soh Kofi Shrine was just up ahead as well. They could rest there if need be.

“Let’s go to Soh Kofi first. I’ll back track later,” Link states, leaning toward the other two. They nod and continue following him down the path, curving with it toward the shrine.

At the shrine a Zora stands at attention. Mipha perks up: they hadn’t seen another Zora up to this point. She’s a cute red Zora, a bit taller than Mipha. The trio approaches the shrine and she notices them; her eyes widen in surprise. The Zora rushes to them then and makes them stop by kneeling in the middle of the path.

“Princess! We, your people, have waited so long for you!” She yells into the ground. Her voice sounds rough and thick. The Zora looks up at them; tears on her face mix with the rain. Her eyes, though, are only for Mipha. “If I may be so bold, I am so happy to see you safe. We have all been so worried for you, my liege.”

Mipha’s face turns bright red and she smiles down at the stranger. As she kneels down to the ground as well, Link looks over at Urbosa and signals that he is moving on to the shrine. Urbosa nods and Link forges on past everyone else.

Urbosa watches calmly as the fish people talk amongst themselves. They are being so quiet and gentle, it makes her smile. She wonders if she will find her people to be as easy to mingle with as Mipha is finding it with just this one stranger. Rain continues to pour down on all them, but it matters not. Urbosa would let herself turn wet to the bone to make sure Mipha can have this conversation safely. After all, she is a princess. Her status alone earns that value from Urbosa. Let alone their time of personal struggle after reawakening together.

Urbosa sighs sadly, thinking of that week on the plateau. She misses Daruk dearly. And maybe even the bird as well, she hasn’t decided on that one. Daruk, though, yes Daruk she misses. He had so much confidence in her to do the right thing… Urbosa looks back down at Mipha, kneeling in the mud with her subject. It settles her nerves. No matter how true Daruk’s words were, she made the right choice. Mipha’s safe passage home matters more right now.

However true, Urbosa is still glad to have her view of the castle obstructed for the time being.

“My liege, who was that Hylian that was traveling with you?”

“He is a…friend of mine, who is accompanying me. Why do you ask?”

“Well,” The subject trails, looking very serious. “We have a problem up in Zora’s Domain. The Divine Beast Vah Ruta has been causing excessive raining as of late. We worry that the reservoirs will over fill, flooding the land.”

“I see,” Mipha replies, looking worriedly up at Urbosa and then back to her subject. “What does my friend have to do with the Divine Beast, though?”

“Only shock arrows can subdue the Divine Beast’s water channels. We Zora cannot touch them. Our king has ordered us to bring a Hylian in for their resistance.”

“Hylians are shock resistant by nature?” Urbosa questions, having her ear caught by the notion.

“No!” The Zora stranger rushes to assure. “But they can drink an elixir designed to give them the resistance,” She turns to speak to Mipha directly then, “The elixir has no effect on a Zora, unfortunately.”

“Would it have effect on a Gerudo?” Urbosa nudges her way back into the conversation again. Mipha rises then and rubs the mud off her shins.

The subject does the same before answering Urbosa. “I would think so, yes. However, our interaction with the Gerudo public has been…” Her eyes look off behind Urbosa. “Distant. Not many travelers will make the trek to the Domain while the rains persist. But even before, you have been the first Gerudo I have seen for decades.”

“I see,” Urbosa trails. “Still,” She affirms. “I would be willing enough to also give this Divine Beast a go.”

“Urbosa…” Mipha chides quietly, before looking reassuring at her subject. “Do not fret, once I have spoken with my father, we will sort this situation out.”

From the shrine’s entrance up ahead, Link stumbles out. Mipha looks worryingly at him and gives her subject a very brief goodbye before rushing to his side. Urbosa nods briskly and comes to observe the Hylian by Mipha’s side. Just a lot of bruises and scrapes. The boy says it was a test of strength. A decent one at that. She almost pities him.

All the while, Mipha’s eyes will trail away from Link’s injuries to the bridge up ahead and finally Urbosa can’t stand it any longer.

“What is it, fish lips? You’ve been looking at that bridge more than anything.”

Mipha is shocked out of her gaze of the bridge to look back at Urbosa, mortified. “Have I really? I’m so sorry. I promise, I have been paying attention,” She looks then at Link, earnestly, “That shrine did in fact sound very tough.”

Link just smiles and shrugs it off, before also eyeing the bridge curiously.

“Is there something up there?” Urbosa asks, almost clinically.

Mipha sighs, “There is, actually. He’s our escort to the Domain. At least, that’s what that girl said earlier.”

“Our escort?” Urbosa asks, tilting her head at the bridge. “Where?”

“On the tower,” Mipha says, deliberately taking a closer look at Link’s elbow. There was black bruising already spreading on the surface.

Urbosa squints and then she notices the Zora perched there. “Sure as the sun. We should go meet him then. Shall we?”

“But-!” Mipha grabs Urbosa’s arm. “Wouldn’t you like to dry off some first?” Urbosa looks down at Mipha, suspicion heavy on her brow. “I mean, we Zora do not mind being wet. I am sure he can wait. You should not let yourself soak all day in the rain, Urbosa. Let yourself and Link dry for awhile.”

And, while tempted by the shrine’s rain-protected entrance, Urbosa shakes her head.

“We should continue on our way with haste.”

“What about-about,” Mipha looks around, frantically. She spies the tower. “What about the map? We should update it before we continue!”

Link considers the tower, as does Urbosa.

Considering the tower, Urbosa talks out of the corner of her mouth directly to Link, “Think you can do that without us?”

Link nods and Mipha groans into her hands. Gently, Link pats Mipha’s hunched over back and starts walking off.

Urbosa watches Link some before turning back to Mipha. “So who is he? Really?”

Mipha unrolls herself and starts her slow trek to the bridge. She stops before coming too close. “He is my brother, Sidon.”

Urbosa’s eyebrows raise and she looks at Sidon then closely. “So red is a family coloring then?”

Mipha puffs out a quiet laugh and shakes her head. She sighs again, and makes a good effort of closing in on herself, arms crossing. “I just… I thought I would have more time to prepare myself.”

Urbosa pats her shoulder and lets her hand rest there. “You will have to face him eventually. I am sure he will be eager to see you once again.”

“I know…” Mipha breathes out and she leads Urbosa to the bridge.

However, Sidon doesn’t seem to be looking for them essentially. He continues to let his eyes scan out in the horizon even as Mipha and Urbosa stand directly under his nose.

“Zora Prince!” Urbosa calls up to him. She catches his attention, and he jumps down to the ground. As he pulls himself up, he looks to be thinking of saying something, but he’s mouth drops open upon seeing his sister.

He stumbles, “M-Mipha?”

Calmly as she can, Mipha steps forward. “It has been a long time, Sidon. I hope you can forgive me.”

Urbosa watches as, again, Mipha is enveloped in love from her past.

_“You’re back so soon, Riju?” A happy smile flitted behind a spread out fan._

_Urbosa felt her cheeks warm, and she looked off to the side before she spoke. Her voice came out high, “Our mothers wish for us to join them for tea, Hyrule,” She managed to meet the other girl’s eyes, “Think you can be a little more proper with them watching? Wouldn’t want them to get the wrong idea.”_

_The fan folded together and Hyrule held it daintily in her small hands. She didn’t respond, rather she brushed past Urbosa’s shoulder on her way out. The brushing feeling sent sensitive vibrations up Urbosa’s arm. Her jaw felt tingly. Why did this girl have to make everything so difficult for her?_

_Urbosa turned to see the Princess of Hyrule waiting for her at the entrance of her personal study. As Urbosa approached, Hyrule stayed still. Eventually, Urbosa is forced to wait for her princess to exit first. Instead, Hyrule pulled up closer to her._

_She leaned into Urbosa’s ear, cupping the fan to make her words only for Urbosa alone. “You cannot demean me for my actions, Urbosa Riju. I am a growing woman just as you are. Surely, you will not make to humiliate me in front of our mothers.”_

_“Of course not,” Urbosa spit out, much too quickly for her liking. Hyrule gave her an appeased smile before making to leave. Urbosa felt a hot heat race up her chest and into her mouth, making her speak when she would rather not. “But you cannot expect me to be happy that you would insult your family this way. I cannot respect you after seeing what I have seen.”_

_Hyrule turned an icy glare back at Urbosa. “Is it truly about dishonoring my family, Riju, or is this about yourself so much that you can only put blame on my person when you cannot fathom taking that blame on your own.”_

_Urbosa stood, shocked to be put on this way. Never had she ever…_

_Hyrule took Urbosa’s silence as answer in itself. Her lips move slowly, imprinting their image and meaning into Urbosa’s mind, “You are nothing but a coward, Riju.”_

Shocked, Urbosa blinks, the siblings come back to focus in front of her. They still talk amongst themselves, ignoring Urbosa completely. She takes the time to try to will away this sudden rush of emotion. Her head aches and her chest feels so full. Like someone had stuffed it will lead while she was off daydreaming.

Who was that girl?

Urbosa muses over the girl she had called ‘Hyrule’ while she waits patiently for either Link to return to them or to be introduced to this new friendly shark.

“Father will be so happy to see you’re safe,” The shark boy announces loudly. “Now tell me, who is your friend?”

“Oh!” Mipha pulls back from Sidon some and turns to Urbosa. “This would be another one of the people who were sealed with me. Her name is Urbosa.” Mipha fidgets while the two shake hands. “And of course, this is my b-brother, Sidon.”

Sidon gives Urbosa a studious gaze as he shakes her hand. “I am sure we must have met before, but I was very young then.”

“Were you? Slips my mind,” Urbosa jokes dryly. Mipha frowns a little and Sidon carries on, the joke completely over his head.

“We must bring you both to our father at once. We have so much to discuss.”

Mipha’s brow furrows and she looks up at the tower. Link would still have awhile to catch up.

Urbosa pats Mipha’s shoulder reassuringly. “We sent him up there to make time, not waste it. He’ll catch up.”

Link, however, battling through a horde of Lizalfos, is starting to regret going on this solo mission of his. Already two of his stored weapons had broken and his arms are bleeding from shallow cuts that these ruthless monsters had somehow skimmed over his skin. The endless rain makes this into some of the most miserable work ever.

He is almost grateful when he cuts through them all and stands by the base of the tower. His breathing is evening out and he’s thankful for the rain at least washing his bloodied skin. Another problem rises as Link looks up the tower. He gulps.

Before he had always had Revali. All of the towers before had be non-issue because Revali simply let him ride up to the top.

The rain continues to pelt down and all Link can do is hook his hands along the grooves of the tower. Hope this works out. If he slips….. He simply will just have to not think about that. He’ll paraglide down. Easy.

And surprisingly, it is easy. He takes stops along the way, but even though it is a slower trip, he manages just fine. Thank Goddess, he had almost let himself think he was dependent on Revali there. What a scare.

The view of the marshland below sprawls out wide when Link reaches the top. He takes a breath before he synchs up the tower to the map. Rain still powers and he feels soaked to the bone. Thankfully the temperature is pretty bearable. He thinks on it and decides to shed himself of his layers. He hangs his hood, jacket, and bottoms up over rocks. It’s growing dark out and he thinks he’ll just have to camp out up here for the night. Could be worse honestly. Since there is rain also coming from a Divine Beast, he probably won’t have such a dry place to stop at for awhile.

He pours his boots out over the edge of tower. Water spills out and he promises himself he’ll lace them up better tomorrow. But feeling cold now, he starts up a little fire with a bundle of wood and a piece of flint he had found not too long ago.

Still feeling pruned, Link scoots his naked body as close to his fire as it would allow. Heat returns to his cheeks and a warm calm he hadn’t known before takes him over. He hadn’t been completely by himself in who knows how long. Always having someone over his shoulder: he is starting to realize how stifling that had been. Maybe he’ll start to make a habit out of camping up on tower tops. They’re peaceful, no monsters, and can be rather cozy.

Link spends the evening huddled over his fire, occasionally snacking on fried bits of meat he has stored away. The rain pours peacefully around him. He falls asleep beside his fire with one of the clearest heads he has had since the rebirth.

The next day he wakes up pretty early. The rain is still coming down, but a light shines through the mist. Must be morning. Heavy gray clouds of mist and clouds cling to the towers top.

Link rubs his warm arms contently. He doesn’t have the communal pot with him or else he’d have a full breakfast. Instead he settles for frying up some more shrooms. Figuring then afterwards that he should get on his way, he pulls on his underwear and pants. Shrrom in mouth and pants in hand, Link spots a black dot off in the distance. Flying in the air.

Link gulps and hurries a little faster on pulling on his clothes. It couldn’t be… But what if it was? The closer the dot came on the horizon, the more certain Link became. As the dot becomes more bird shaped, Link’s forehead crinkles. He’s just got his first toe in a sock when Revali perches himself on a ledge.

Link keeps his mouth shut, in fear of breaking their promise to Impa. Revali looks down at Link in puzzlement.

“…I’m sorry, but I’m afraid I have too many questions to ask at one time,” Revali starts slowly. Rain water drips down off of his beak and Link watches carefully as the water slides down to the floor.

Eyes back on Revali, Link just nods courteously before resuming putting his socks and boots on. Face still scrunched up, Link focuses as he tightens the laces on his boots as tight as they’ll go. He watches Revali move his way closer to the fire, watches as he holds his wet feathers to the flames.

Revali takes a seat, partially watching Link as he gets dressed. A curious look in his eye. “Why are you up here all by yourself?”

Link squints his eye at Revali. The Rito had recently acquired a new outfit it looks like. His feathers are damp, but not horribly so yet. His hair in the back is tied up into some loose braids. He is wearing a large blue handkerchief now.

Links jaw stays stiff as he speaks up. “Breaking your promise?”

Revali makes a face and looks back down to the flames. “Our goals intersect. I thought it prudent to try to make my way back to your little gang. Now will you answer my question? It was the first one spoken, after all.”

“The tower was out of their way. I told them I’d catch up.”

Revali’s head tilts, but he hesitates to reply. He clacks his beak, “Mipha is relentless on reuniting with her family.”

Link nods and goes to grab his jacket off from a farther rock. His frown deepens when he feels moisture still seeped in the folds. Link looks back at Revali. If their goals intersected, why did Impa make them separate in the first place?

“Do you need us?” He asks simply. His jacket gets placed in inventory for now. His hood will have to do.

Revali’s feathers ruffle some. It looks kind of funny with how wet they are. “I do not _need_ you and those girls. It just turned out to be the _efficient_ -“

“Impa knows what is _efficient._ She wouldn’t have sent you out if she didn’t think you could do it on your own.”

“Well I _can’t,_ so that shows how much she knows!” Revali blurts, and his eyes widen. He lowers his beak, and a frown straightens out on his face. The picture of embarrassment. Link feels accomplished.

Dressed as well as he can for now, Link heads over to the fire to snuffle out the fire.

“I can’t come with you, birdbrain,” Link says softly, charcoal under his boot.

Revali bristles. “I know! That’s why I’m coming with you!” He dares to look up at Link before looking off to the side. “I’m not that selfish.”

Link hums. For all of Revali’s faults, it really is surprising how good of a person he can make himself out to be. Link kneels down to look at Revali more directly. “You are certain that I’ll help you then. How can you know?”

Revali blanches at that and looks Link in the eye. “I’m not allowed to tell you. _You aren’t ready to hear that yet._ ”

Link leans back on his heels, eyebrows raised high.

Revali shakes his head and stands up. “I will not disrespect everything Impa had said. She meant well for you lot. Even if I find it a bit…impossible to work around.”  

Link watches Revali look out onto the rain. He wants to tell Revali to scram, but…

Link takes out his Slate. He hadn’t actually activated the tower yet. He slides the Slate into the podium’s slot and the lights around them turn blue. They glide their way down shortly after. Link wonders how well Revali can fly now that his feathers are getting so wet. Apparently not so well, since he lands with Link and continues walking with him for the duration of the trek.

At some point, Link realizes that Revali’s new eye makeup hasn’t run off with the rain. It sticks to his feathers rather well and he wonders how Revali had come upon wearing something like that. You would think that he would want his vision to be clear off anything that could obstruct his vision.

Upon asking about it while they climb over some fallen stone, Link finds out that it was a bit of family tradition to wear it. That apparently, Revali had found out a lot about his past on his trip away from the group.

“Did we know each other?” Link asks as casually as he can. He isn’t sure if he pulls it off too well.

Revali frowns as he thinks on it. He hadn’t taken to reading any of his letters or his journal yet. He hasn’t had the time.

“I can’t recall too much yet. I’ve had a few memories return to me, but they have all been…very personal. About my family,” Revali drawls out. He nudges Link to hide down behind a boulder. Lizalfos patrol the area ahead.

Link looks excited though. “How did you start to do that?” He whisper-shouts. Revali admires his child-like enthusiasm. “I haven’t had any memories!”

Revali preens a little while he notches an arrow. “It was nothing. Just some conversations I had had. Being with my village again,” Revali pauses, missing his village already. “It did me some good, in all honesty.”

Link considers that while he checks his spear that he had picked up recently. Not too worn yet. “I wonder where I could go to find my memories.”

“Wish I could tell you,” Revali says back unhelpfully.

Together, they bombard the Lizalfos, though there aren’t as many as they had anticipated. Urbosa and Mipha must have been through here.

During the days, Revali and Link cover a lot of ground. They eat out of their storage to keep up their speed and Revali chatters on about his beloved village. Conveniently, he leaves out how he had been immediately ostrich-ized upon introduction.

When night time comes, they huddle under broken-down wagons or overhanging cliffs. Revali thinks about taking out his letters. And then he’ll look over at Link and feel his cheeks warm. Who knows what could be in these letters. Did he really want Link to snoop on that? Not that Link would snoop… Revali thinks back to their time on the plateau and Link’s fight with Mipha. Nooooo, Link would never snoop.

However tempted Revali may be to uncover those memories, he puts it off pretty easily. Especially, whenever Link goes about undressing for the night. He tries not to stare, but he can’t avoid it when Link is only on the other side of a wagon.

During the first night, Revali is forced to consider Link as something more than a forest gremlin, and he is not a fan of having those feelings just thrust into his chest like that.

The other nights afterward only solidify this thought in his mind. He isn’t sure if it’s really fair, if it is only because Link is the only one he’s ever seen so bare. The firelight dancing on Link’s uncovered chest… Maybe it meant nothing. And it must mean nothing to Link, so it should then absolutely mean nothing to him. He shoves the thoughts as deep down as he can.

Link smiles a Revali’s newly made awkwardness. As much as it pains him, he’s happy to have the Rito back. He feels a fondness for him fill his heart some. The awkwardness probably has to do with the humiliation of coming back to the group, tail between his legs. The night time blunders are pretty endearing though. Who could have thought someone so proud in their grace could actually get so easily flustered? The idea of Revali being shy even over any one aspect of himself is actually pretty amazing to Link.

Three-quarters of their way up the Lanayru path, and the monsters become less and less common. It almost feels like something of a peaceful outing. Link smiles, a contemplative Revali by his side.

Link watches with a frown as they continue up the path. Always so stiff. He feels like he used to know why Revali was so serious, uptight. He has pride. But now that he’s come back from Rito Village… Revali’s like a completely different person sometimes.

Halfway across the bridge, they spot a Zora standing. As if waiting for them.

The red Zora waves his arm amiably back at them. “Hellooo! Are you Link? Come here please, I am Mipha’s brother!”

Revali looks back at Link curiously, but Link just shrugs in response. Who knows.

‘Mipha’s brother’ rushes to meet them on the bridge and continues to walk back with them as they peddle their way across it.

“It is so nice to see you again, Link! It really has been a long time. Don’t worry though,” He interrupts Link, whose mouth had opened to respond, “I know from Mipha that all of the Champions’ memories are escaping you. I’m sure they will come back soon!” Revali and Link stare bemusedly as Mipha’s brother gives them a large smile.

“Yes…Quite,” Revali says slowly. “So what is it that they call you? Obviously you know who we are.”

The stranger frowns then. “Well, I am Prince Sidon of the Zora Domain. But…” Sidon’s eyes trail down then to Revali’s handkerchief, and his eyes light up again. “Oh, you must be Revali of the Rito people! I did not get to meet you too formally in your first life. It’s amazing to meet you now though!”

Sidon offers his hand to Revali and Revali takes it with a firm grasp.

Revali lets the hand go easily and looks on ahead of the path. “So how much farther to the Domain? I’d like to dry off for something longer than one night if possible. Though I’ve heard that that is a bit of an issue around here.”

Sidon frowns, but nods understandingly. “Yes, the Divine Beast has been a nuisance ever since it reactivated. The rain is impossible. However, we are aren’t too far away as of now.”

True to his word, Zora’s Domain came looming out at them after a couple more bridges. It practically stole Revali and Link’s breath away. Great, masterfully-made sculptural work is the basis for the entire village. All in the lightest blue, with glowing rock spreading highlights over the entire village.  

“I’m sorry to ask you this after traveling all this way,” Sidon apologizes, as the cross the bridge to town, “But could you two trouble yourselves to speak with my father? I’m sure Mipha will be there as well. She hasn’t moved much farther than that ever since I guided her back home.”

“Would this be about the Divine Beast?” Revali asks, frown on his face.

Sidon sighs, “Yes, it would. But it would also be about you two. King Doraphan would be pleased to see you safe and in well-health.”

Link nods and Revali guesses he has no choice. They follow Sidon up the stairs and even more stairs it takes to reach to the throne room.

Link and Revali try not to stare as they look up at the monstrously-sized Zora that fills the room there. Link looks down, attention abruptly caught by someone sitting on the rim of King Doraphan’s pool. Leaning there, leaisurely as ever, is Mipha. She looks at home by her father’s side. Maybe even happy. She smiles bashfully at the two of them.

King Doraphan smiles kindly as Revali, Link, and Sidon take position up in front of him.

“Link…It has been such a long time. I hope that your travels have been peaceful.”

Link and Revali bow down to King Doraphan. Sidon takes his place over by Mipha’s side. He whispers something in her ear, and Link rises just in time to see her batting at him playfully. A blush covering her face.

They made the picture perfect example of what a brother and sister should be. Link couldn’t be happier that he got to see this.

The king speaks up again, “As pleasant as it is to have you back in our lives, I have much dire things to discuss. Our people need their Champions, young ones. Urbosa of the Gerudo has already accepted the gauntlet, but we would all feel better if she had proper help. We are planning a mission to bombard the Divine Beast. Would you, Link of the Hylians,” And then he turns to acknowledge Revali for once, “And you, Revali of the Rito. Would you consider aiding Urbosa in the calming of Vah Ruta?”

Revali and Link agree to help his people, and Revali can feel a little pit in his stomach grow. Should he tell them that this is all there is to Princess Zelda’s last words? Freeing the Divine Beasts of Ganon’s control will undoubtedly stop Vah Ruta from acting up. And if they would do this, then they must be decent enough people to help the other three nations.

Revali doesn’t have a doubt in his mind that his friends will do the right thing. The only question is how long they will wait to do it.  

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, this was so rushed! I'm sorry if its a bit under par, I didn't really have a lot of time to reread it for errors.  
> And sadly, because of a more packed schedule, I'm going to have to put off the next update to the 15th!
> 
> Hope you all have had a good read, and please don't be shy to leave a comment. I love to hear what you lovely people have to say!


	7. Lanayru

The evening has gone cold and late for the Champions after their long conference with King Doraphan. Another meeting has been planned for tomorrow with the elders of the Domain. Everyone starts heading off to find a place to settle down in. The foreign Champions decide to bed down in the inn for the night, but Sidon pulls Link aside from the rest. Revali and Urbosa pretend to not care over the disappearance, but Urbosa can see how much it troubles Revali.

As they watch the Zora prince steal Link away, Urbosa hooks her arm over Revali’s shoulders. “Thought I wasn’t ever seeing you again. Does that mean you fulfilled Princess Zelda’s final words?”

Revali takes a deep breath and forces the tension from his shoulders. “No. It just means that they lead me here.”

Urbosa leans back a little, considering the Rito under her arm. “…fair enough. I take it that the motives must be a secret for now at least,” she frowns then, mid thought. “I have had a memory recently return to me. It was small, and no more have come back since then. I was hoping maybe you remember more than I do.”

Coming to the inn, Urbosa unhooks her arm from Revali and takes up a seat at the communal pot. Revali follows her to rest in the warmth by her side.

His beak clacks as he thinks on his newly acquired memories. Not much comes to mind until he remembers his one Gerudo trip. He sits up straight as he exclaims, “Actually!” He pats a wing on her shoulder. “I happen to have remembered a time with you in it. It came on me while I was away.”

Urbosa’s eyebrows raise substantially. She steadies her voice as she speaks, “Please by all means. Tell me what you know.”

Revali holds up a wingtip and he starts riffling through his things. First he pulls out old fried fish he had made on his trip with the wild boy. Then he pulls out his hidden journal and letters. He pulls out a pair of sticks and hands one to Urbosa, who takes in obligingly. They take a moment to skewer their fish. Revali even takes a moment to add mushrooms to the pot to fry for the time.

“Who are those from?” Urbosa asks, mouth full.

Revali considers his pile of papers and spreads them out until he finds the old bundle of letters he had been avoiding. He pulls them out, a flowery smell still poignant as he pulls them onto his lap. The rest of the papers get put back into storage. “Do you happen to know the name Koriga?”

Urbosa frowns at Revali, lowering her skewer. “Yes, that is a descendant of mine, according to Lady Impa. How do you know her name?”

Revali sucks in a breath and lets it out slowly. “I had a memory with you and her in it. My family was in it as well, so I hope you can be sensitive to that as we move forward…” Revali lowers his eyes. He doesn’t like having to talk about this with other people when he doesn’t know everything yet. But he probably won’t get a chance to know it all until he does talk with someone.

He looks up and Urbosa is looking at him somewhat sympathetically. She has been maybe crass sometimes, but she doesn’t seem to hold any true malice in her soul towards anyone. He has to trust that this is the best answer to get more answers.

“These letters seem to all be from Koriga,” Revali lets out, patting the pile on his lap. The pit in his stomach bothers him and it’s the best he can do to ignore it. He continues, “I haven’t read them yet, but I recollected a childhood memory of her already. We were about the same age back then. Very young, smaller than ten years of age.” Urbosa listens intently, leaning towards him as he talks. Revali swallows shallowly. “My mother and aunts, they brought me to Gerudo City as a part of their choir. I got to travel a lot in their tours. Do you remember Gerudo City?”

Urbosa frowns and shakes her head. She makes to take a bite of her fish and pauses then. She looks over at Revali and says, “Lady Impa said it’s a town. Gerudo Town.”

Revali raises his eyebrows. For a moment they lock eyes, but the moment passes and they stare off in the distance. The city is dead. The pit in Revali’s gut feels heavier as he tries to fill it with food. Maybe it isn’t that bad. Maybe they can will it to be less of a horror story if they ignore that facet of it for now.

Something occurs to Revali as he sticks his used skewer at the mushrooms in the pot. Dropping fat covered bones into the pot, he smirks up at Urbosa; she looks back at him in confusion. Smirk sliding to smile, Revali pulls out a cloth from Rito Village to wipe his feathers clean.

“Koriga was my age. But Lady Impa must have been older than both of us if she was part of the Sheikah investigations before the Calamity,” He states calmly. “Does that mean you have a family member to look for? A daughter perhaps?”

Urbosa’s face reddens considerably and she almost looks mad. However, she stays uncertain and in a huff she looks away while crossing her arms. “Not possible.”

Keeping an aloof eye on his pot, Revali pulls up the letters again. “I wonder if one of these letters talks about Dear Precious Mummy. Oh, how sweet those lines will be to read aloud. I’m sure they speak very ill of your parenting and how protective you are. No time outside past 9? How strict, Urbosa!”

Face still red, Urbosa shoves Revali _hard_ , making the bird fall over in laughter, squawks escaping between the wheezing.

In the mountains above, Prince Sidon and Link hear a distant squawking during their climb up one of the walls of the reservoir. Sidon looks back down the stairs at Link with an uncertain smile and Link shrugs.

Sidon turns around and continues his climb. Previously, he had been giving Link a tour of the surrounding area, giving especially considered advice to stay clear of the Lynel further up the mountain trails. Link isn’t too sure what a Lynel is, but if it could scare a huge Zora like Sidon, he thinks it’s wise to take the word of caution to heart.

They had been just about to finish their climb up the reservoir when the squawking from earlier caught their attention. So now, Prince Sidon waits for Link to catch up. He motions with his hand out to the waters in the middle of the reservoir’s lake. Link looks up as he nears the top, and his eyes widen as he catches his first glimpse of a Divine Beast.

In the waters, The Divine Beast Vah Ruta seems to be bathing itself, sending water high up into the air. However, the water isn’t all directly hitting just the Beast and Link can see how this much water could concern the Zora community. The lake looks already full to bursting.

The pair walk over to the lake’s edge, the pale moon shining down in its surface. Link would even call it a beautiful night, if it wasn’t also the tenth shower he received this week alone.

“Inside this Beast is where my sister fell, one hundred years ago,” Prince Sidon says, rather softly in comparison to his boasts earlier in the day. There is a sad gleam to his eye, and Link can feel his heart give for how hard it must have been to wait.

Sidon glances down at Link and gives a smile, “Mipha wouldn’t like me to continue to be sad over this. We have already talked about it extendedly while we waited for you to arrive. She does not remember the day that she passed, and she does not want me to think on it now that she is back…” Link puts his hand on Sidon’s arm tentatively, and Sidon gives a full sharp-toothed smile down at him. “If I did not know that she will have a full party to help her now, I would be so afraid for her to go back in that Thing. As it is now, I do not want her to have to go back at all…”

Link pulls his hand away and goes to sit at the water’s edge. Sidon joins him.

Legs in the water, Sidon leans down to rest his elbows on his knees, head bent to look up at Vah Ruta. His head tilts to look down at Link, who is looking intently at the Beast. Sidon let’s a breath out and then continues as before, “Are you scared, Champion? These same forces killed you as well, did they not?”

Link looks up at Sidon at with a frown. He couldn’t say he knew. Scared? Sure. But did the same forces really have the same grip on him that they had had on Mipha?

Link huffs and shake his head. He kicks at the water’s edge and watches the water ripple with the motion and with the fall of the rain. Always present.

Looking back at Sidon, it is obvious that the prince is waiting for a response. Some kind of validation or maybe even some advice… Link doesn’t have a clue. He doesn’t feel like he could ever come up with a good response to this. There is just too much here to unravel. Too much that he doesn’t know…

Beside him, the prince starts to deflate visibly. The silence stretches on.

“I’m sorry if that was too much to ask. I just hoped…” Sidon apologizes, sighs and drifts in his thoughts. Link watches as Sidon stares out at the water. The moonlight shines on the Zora’s tired face, making him look worn well long before his prime has come. It makes Link feel tired just looking at him. Where did all of the energy go?

“I just hoped you could give me a reason as to why I should trust you again with keeping her safe,” Sidon says softly. The water sliding down his scales drips off the tip of his forehead. “But you don’t even know how you have failed to begin with,” A sad smile runs up the corners of Sidon’s mouth. “That must be nice.”

Feeling heavy and awkward, Link wants to run. He can’t. There isn’t anything he can do. This is all his fault.

“I’m sorry, I don’t mean to be bitter. I am so happy you have all come back,” Sidon continues, not even glancing at Link. “My father and I…we know we couldn’t do anything. Couldn’t have done anything differently. Things are as they were meant to be…

“But all the same, we want to do things differently this time around. Tomorrow we will talk about how we can help you board the Divine Beast. As for the challenges inside…..please,” Sidon places a hand on Link’s shoulder then, forcing the Hylian to look up, “Bring my sister back safe. We can’t lose her again.” Link’s eyes focus on Sidon’s and he gives a determined nod. Pleased with that, Sidon is quick to grin and raises a fist in a unifying gesture.

However, the prince catches himself and he looks at his fist then in thought, then back to Link. He suddenly gets up out of the water and walks back towards the stairs. Link’s eyes bulge when he notices that there is actually a bed back there. What.

Sidon is leaning over his bed and is shuffling under the wiggly mattress that covers the stone frame. He motions for Link to come over.

By Sidon’s side, Link peers over at the papers Sidon is producing from out of a leather binder. Drawings of hands in different motions and positions cover the old papers inside. Sidon handles it gently as he hands it to Link.

“We used to receive a new copy of these simple commands and observatory statements every year, back when Hyrule reigned,” Sidon says looking over the hand gestures as well. “Do you remember any of these? They were the standard for hard-of-hearing soldiers back when you served. You would have had to memorize them.”

Link puzzles over the drawings, taking them as he sits down on Sidon’s gelatinous bed. Sidon takes a seat on the ground as he looks up at Link’s frowning face.

“I only ask because you used these more than spoken word. At least, that is what my sister said back then.”

Link looks down at Sidon then, a strange mix of pleased sentiment and questioning curiosity hanging in his smile. Sidon pales.

“Not that we talk of you often!” He babbles, waving his hand about. “It was just odd to have such a silent knight around. And you were the Princess’s guard to boot. It was just royal gossip, it meant nothing!” A smile spreads wider on Link’s face and he huffs a little laugh as he watches the Prince fluster.

“You’re not a good liar,” Link finally says, stopping Sidon’s rambles.

Instead, Sidon gives him wounded puppy-dog eyes. “Please also don’t tell her I told you we talk about you. Along with keeping her safe in the Divine Beast.”

Link laughs and searches through the pages before finding the sign he wants. He points his first finger up in the air by his head, “Understood.”

_Link looked down at the paper in distaste. Around him, noisy soldiers were murmuring to themselves, pouring over the same information he was._

_On the second page Link scanned the ten-part gesture sequence he was sure was going to get someone killed. The old general wouldn’t have stood for this if he was still around. Just another reason to miss his father all the more._

_“Faron,” A booming voice sounded out from close by. On instinct Link stood up, eyes straight ahead. Lieutenant MacWelchant was looking down at him with a scowl. “Do you not find the new commands to your liking?” Link didn’t even bother thinking of an answer. MacWelchant always went out of his way to call Link out, no matter the occasion. He also didn’t know one lick of sign, so any response Link could have would have been a waste anyway. MacWelchant was a hard one to speak up against._

_“Right. Too shy to use that pretty voice of yours,” MacWelchant sneered, closing in on Link. Link stared unwavering ahead as MacWelchant got in his face. “Don’t have daddy anymore to do the talking for you, do you. We’ll just have to socialize you more than others. Another month of potato rinsing should do it.” Link didn’t think he had even finished the last three months of kitchen duty he had already been assigned…for similar reasons. “Don’t think you get to fuck off just because your daddy didn’t make you learn how to communicate right, boy. I’ll get you to talk one day.”_

_Odd Lieutenant that one was. Link watched stiffly as MacWelchant walked away. No one in his unit thought it was right that MacWelchant went in so hard on him, but no one had the ground to question him._

_Someone tapped his shoulder and Link spun around to see one of his childhood friends from his squire training days. Tracy, a man a bit older and a lot taller than him, smiled down sympathetically at him. His hands moved slowly, but purposefully, “One day he’ll find a new punching bag.”_

_Link huffed and gave a small smile. He highly doubted that MacWelchant would ever find a better punching bag than the son of one of the most controversial generals the kingdom has ever known. One could hope though._

Link looks up from the paper in his hands and sees Sidon’s worried face.

“Did you just remember something?” Sidon asks seriously, searching Link’s eyes which become warm with some kind of small understanding. Link nods with a smile and Sidon visibly relaxes. “Anything of interest?”

Link and Sidon spend the rest of their night talking of the old military and old friends. Or Sidon more so speculates what that used to be like, while Link makes vague guesses based on the atmosphere he felt with his old comrades. As it grows later, Link stumbles away from Sidon’s sleeping area to return to the others at the inn.

Walking back to the Domain, old sign-language pamphlet in his storage, Link admires the night sky. The moon is getting fuller by the night. Between the rain and the light, the town itself shines ethereally from every surface in it. Brighter than the night sky itself. 

Arriving at the inn, Link lowers his hood and runs his fingers through his wet hair. Revali watches him from where the embers in the communal pot burn low. Bluebird makes a tsking sound when Link’s fingers catch in the knots.

“You aren’t brushing my hair,” Link says gruffly as he plops down by the fire. He pulls out some more tinder for the fire, along with some rice and fish for a late dinner. Sidon had distracted him from eating for far too long.

Revali, groggy from the long night, just huffs as he watches Link coax the fire. Link leans back and stares at the embers, willing them to grow faster. Out of the corner of his eye, he can see Revali pull together piles of paper and put them away. He stays quiet as Revali resettles himself, still not leaving yet to go to bed, even though it seems obvious that the Rito is exhausted.

Finally, Revali cracks as Link puts the rice and water in the pot. “What’d Prince Sidon have to show you that couldn’t wait until tomorrow?” he clacks, acting like he isn’t too interested. Link smirks as he looks at Revali’s adverted gaze. Revali had been showing Link a lot more care in this last week than ever before. He isn’t sure what changed after the separation, but it is nice seeing a more endearing side to Revali.

“Just wanted to talk,” Link shrugs, not knowing how to answer. “Personal stuff. About before the calamity.”

“Ah…”  

They sit in a pleasant silence for a bit before Link speaks up again. “What did you and Urbosa do?”

Revali cocks his head and then makes an unpleasant face. “We talked too. About our own personal _stuff._ ”

“Like what?” Link prods as he adds his cleaned fish into the pot.

Revali scoffs. “Well, I don’t know, Link. Whenever someone says it’s _personal_ , I’d think it wasn’t something they felt like sharing,” Revali clicks his tongue, “Thus personal, in contrast to public.”

Link’s brow furrows. “I would tell you personal stuff if you asked,” he huffs.

Revali opens his beak and then closes it again. His feathers fluff a little and he folds his wings over himself. “Then consider me asking.”

Link looks thoughtfully at Revali. Relaxing a little, he picks up a spoon to stir the pot some. He tries to relax his shoulders and he breathes in the steam. Link feels like he has talked so much already. It was starting to become draining to carry on these conversations. Or maybe that was the memory willing him into old habits.

“Sidon wanted to show me Vah Ruta. It’s sitting up there, in the reservoir lake. We talked about Mipha. Then he pulled out this,” Link shuffles to pull out the pamphlet. Revali carefully takes the worn paper and looks down at it quizzically. “Apparently I didn’t talk much before Ganon. I used signs like that to talk for the most part.”

Link stops talking then to test the fish while Revali studies the hand gestures on the paper.

“Didn’t you make a gesture like one of these back when we were walking to Kakariko?” Revali askes eventually, when Link had already served himself up some rice and fish.

Link concentrates on the thought, thinking about that walk. It was a pleasant walk for the most part, but he can’t really remember if he had or not. He just shrugs before digging into his food. Revali frowns as he watches the wild child dig in. Horrible manners and he smells like dirt. Hylia couldn’t ask for a better Champion if she tried. Oh wait.

Revali shakes his head of the weird jealousy that sometimes clouds his head. He really needs to decide if he likes how Link looks or not. Or if he is actually jealous of Link’s position or if it was a past version of himself rearing his ugly head. A strange feeling nags at him, whining over how unfair everything is. It is the least mature thing he has to deal with, and all over the boy in front of him who refuses to take real baths. Speaking of which…

“When was the last time you used soap?” Revali asks rather bluntly and apparently out of the blue.

Link looks up in confusion. “There is still soap?”

Revali gives Link a concerning look. He supposes no one has offered Link any, so he shouldn’t judge. It isn’t like they have had time to make it by hand in this last fortnight.

The Rito shuffles through his storage until he finds his cleaning items. From the little fabric satchel that they are placed in, he pulls out an extra bar of soap he hadn’t touched yet.

“Here,” Revali offers the bar to Link. Link looks down at it with wide eyes before quickly grabbing it up.

“Where did you find this? Is this part of the bird cleaning stuff you got? Why didn’t you give me some sooner?!” Link emotes, shaking the bar at Revali now.

Revali looks back, stunned. When did Link care?

“I just thought that you preferred not using it,” Revali stumbles, not knowing how to react really. This is the wilderness gremlin, isn’t it? The one completely at one with nature?

Link looks offended and his eyes go between the soap and Revali.

Revali’s eyes bulge. “Not that I think you prefer to be gross! Of course you don’t, no one likes that. It just didn’t occu-“

Link frowns and reaches over to put a finger over Revali’s beak to stop the rambling.

_Face red, Link stared around the campsite to see if anyone heard. It was the middle of the night when him and Revali pulled out a bottle of wildberry wine, hoping to relax their nerves after a Hinox encounter earlier that day._

_Link pulled his hand away from Revali’s beak and slumped back to move his hands as slowly as he could for Revali’s sake, “You cannot tell. Nobody knows.”_

_Revali’s shit-eating grin doesn’t move from his face. “Link of Faron Providence,” He whispered over to him, closely leaning in. “The heartbreaker of all women!” Link rolled his eyes and took a deep drink from the bottle. Maybe he could forget he said anything at all. All night they had been taunting each other small habits and culturally differences. But this was going a bit far._

_“Link!” Revali said suddenly, grasping Link’s shoulders. Link narrowed his eyes at Revali, trying to make sure the wine didn’t get knocked out of his hand by Revali’s big ole flappers. That big smile plastered on his face like this was the funniest joke to him. “When all of them find out they will mourn! The streets will be filled with crying women-“_

_Getting aggravated, Link knocked Revali’s wings away. He tried to sign, “It’s not like that.” The gestures were messy though. Revali snorted at him anyway._

_“Don’t worry, Hero of Lore- No one need to know. Who cares what a singing bird says anyway?” Revali pauses and then hums out: “Woman thriller to chiller, Hero who claimed the world as his has claimed the men to be-“ Revali takes a breath before he hisses out, “Bliss.”_

_Link groaned before he signed in resignation, “Poetic.”_

_“Pretty good for a drinking birdie, right?”_

Link shakes his head and pulls his finger from Revali, who is staring at him patiently. Link sits back down, Revali’s little tune now stuck in his head.  

“A new memory? Was it between us?” Revali asks patiently, not really trying to commander Link’s full attention, but still curious as hell.

Link nods slowly before getting up. Revali watches as he picks up his bowl and the pot.

“You’re not going to tell me?” Revali asks, Link’s back turning to him. Link shakes his head and heads over to the innkeeper. They have a little conversation and soon Link is heading back to a bed, the bowls in the innkeeper’s hands.

The innkeeper speaks as she passes him by, telling him his friend already rented a bed for him for the night. To make himself at home in a water bed. She teases that he should avoid laying belly down. He fakes a laugh as she disappears.

Revali looks back at where Link had settled in: the bed next to Urbosa. The Gerudo woman sleeps deeply by now surely, but still Revali taps quietly past her to the bed on Link’s other side. He isn’t sure if he should say something. Link now had something to mull over… But Revali wants to know! Any memory between them feels like a right now, especially after his evening spent sharing joint memories with Urbosa.

Having poured all their combined energy into Koriga’s letters already, they weigh lighter in his pocket. He had had a care-free relationship with her. Though sadly the letters spoke very little of Urbosa herself. There is talk about a mother and other royal family members, but there are few names to signify who is who. Still it made Urbosa happy to see a beacon of light in her own right. And that in turn makes Revali happy. They all deserved to have something good to look forward to after defeating Ganon. Hopefully there will still be something there to scavenge when the work is done.

The Champions sleep uneasily that night.

Mipha is one of the first to wake up in the morning. Her room is blocked from view in the hollowed-out cave behind the Veiled Falls. Beautiful luminous stones are worked in with the pre-existing rock to create a similar, but separate atmosphere to that in the town. Her pool is a more natural installment, a by-product of a spring being allowed to leak into a chiseled out sleeping pool. It is more comfortable than any bed, she is sure.

She stretches in her pool, trying to will the sleep from her bones. Still it is hard while she is still in the water. Four nights now she has slept in this room. It really is starting to feel like home.

And for the third morning in a row, she looks over at the cursed diary she had kept out on her desk. Why did she have to leave it there? Nothing in it was truly worth remembering now… Mipha groans, before dipping her head lower in the water. Link is here now. Sidon has already started his teasing. He is her younger brother, he shouldn’t be allowed to have so much leverage on her!

Quickly, she pulls herself out of the water and is immediately hit by how heavy her body actually is on land. She groans some more. Walking is a cruelty. Maybe letting the reservoir overflow wouldn’t be too bad if she never had to walk again…

 Her claws scrap over a large towel and she slowly goes about blotting herself dry. With the water off her face, she starts to wake up some.

Hanging on the wall, she peruses her many tridents with a happy smile. So light and nimble. Mipha is so proud of the craftsmanship of her people and of their confidence in her to make good use of it.

To the right of her tridents, her old accessories and royal jewels hang in waiting for her. She walks over to them and carefully pulls the belt off the wall first. Piece by piece she pulls on the outfit she had worn a century ago. Looking at herself in the shiny surface of one of her cave’s walls, the only thing that is missing, they say, is her blue scarf. It was a signifier of her place in the group of Champions that would one day save Hyrule. Mipha hopes she can still earn the right to wear that scarf once more.

Instead, she wears her older regalia.

Outside, she can hear the sound of splashing feet, a clinking noise, and then retreating feet. Her breakfast is here. Mipha goes to pick up a wet glass and a small bag of frog legs. She dips the glass in the water, falling just outside the tunnel’s opening, to fill it some before she carries it all back into her room. Where she makes herself tea with herbs that have been stored here for some time.

Then she slumps back into her desk chair once more. Breakfast is to come at 8 in the morning, so she still has a couple hours to look at the mess she had left behind. It is becoming a bit of a morning amusement for her. And an evening on.

Mipha frowns as she flips through the pages, already knowing most of the words by heart. Terrible words. They paint her as some lovesick puppy, watching shyly as her love comes and goes as he pleases. A one-sided relationship where she sits begging for attention. Something that isn’t even hinted to have been returned. What is worse is the embarrassing armor piece! Mipha groans just remembering that thing. Why had she been so bold? She had wanted to marry Link!

Still, the armor could be of use to Link if he were to wear it… Mipha sighs, looking off at where the top is stored in a chest off out of plain sight. This wouldn’t have been have been an issue if her brother hadn’t been so snoopy. Mipha trusts that Sidon truly did despair at her lose and that he only meant well by going through her old things. By why did he have to? Now she could never put this past behind her, even if she wanted to. Sidon will always know, meaning any action or inaction meant something to him at least. He thinks her and Link would look rather good together…

Mipha’s face feels warm and she turns to the tea to try to wash down the feeling. Now is not the time to consider romantic feelings toward her fellow Champions. There is too much on the line to get so invested in something other than freeing Hyrule.

Her eyes trail over the chest. She knows she had felt so strongly about Link, but remembering why has been hard to come by. If she did figure it out before they died somewhere else along the line though, she isn’t sure she’ll get another chance. Maybe waiting has been her greatest weakness in all this.

Mipha rubs the bridge between her eyes. This is what she gets for waiting to hear what her family might think. A protective father. A nosey brother. And a kingdom full of people in need.

It has been over a month gone by and she feels less certain than when she had sprung out of the Resurrection waters. Maybe she should have taken Ganon on butt naked and saved herself the trouble of ever having to figure her life out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all! Memories are coming to our Champions and wow are they coming in hot! Thank you all again for your support in this story. If you have any headcanons about their past that you wanna talk about, don't be shy! My tumblr is under the same name as here so you can hit me up there whenever if ya wanna talk!
> 
> Next Tuesday is the next update, so see you all then :D


	8. Lanayru

Meanderingly, Mipha makes her way down to the inn with her frog legs in tow. Occasionally she is caught by her subjects either wishing her good morning or giving reports on events big and small that have been occurring. By the time she makes it to the inn, it is almost time for their meeting with the elders.

Mipha’s eyes trail over Urbosa and Revali sitting at the communal pot as she looks for the last Champion, who has apparently stepped out already. She frowns as she comes to sit by Urbosa, who greets her warmly with an offer of some of her rice bowl. Mipha politely refuses.

“So how have you been doing, now that you’re royalty and all?” Revali drawls, directing the conversation to Mipha.

She sighs and fiddles with the cords draped around her neck. “I am fine, Revali, thank you. As to being royalty…It is a strange thing, to not remember any of it, but feel at home none the less.”

Revali grins, “It’s probably all of the fish decor that eases your mind.”

Urbosa smacks his wing and Mipha giggles as Revali acts hurt over the action.

Mipha opens her mouth, but quietly allows Urbosa to speak as she hears her loud voice take the conversation over. “Are we heading to the meeting now? Can I finish first?”

“The meeting is soon…” Mipha drifts, looking over her shoulder at the Domain before looking back toward Urbosa and Revali. “Where did Link go?”

Urbosa and Revali look to each other before Urbosa puts a spoon of rice in her mouth and shrugs. Revali looks a bit put out. “…Should we go looking for him?” Revali asks, crossing his arms. Mipha frowns and nods.

“We’ll see you up in the throne room,” Mipha says as the pair of them leave Urbosa to her breakfast.

Mipha and Revali walk and scope out the Domain. On a quick glance, the bobbing blonde head can’t be found anywhere. Frustrated, Revali lifts off to get a higher view. Something he hates to do in the rain. Mipha starts coming up to people in town to ask if they had seen him. She gets a lead that tells her that Link was last seen talking to one of the children. A little blue boy is the winning catch.

The boy looks up at her bashfully as she kneels down to his level. Her heart cries out when she hears that his mother has gone missing. He says that he needs to sell more hot-footed frogs to make up for the money they aren’t getting while his mother is away.

“Did you give him anywhere to go to catch these frogs?” Mipha asks patiently.

The boy frowns as he shakes his head. He looks over to the Domain’s entrance. “He went that way, though. Probably to the pond past the two bridges.” Mipha nods and gives a brief goodbye before making strides to catch up with Link.

Revali, hating his wet feathers and his life, notices Mipha running across the bridge down below. He looks ahead of the path and spots Link in a pond up ahead. He begins a gentle dive.

Down below, Mipha slows down as she sees Revali start to fall to the ground way ahead of her. A bout of disappointment overcomes her, though she isn’t sure why. Either way, Link is going to be told that the meeting is starting… Mipha slows to a stop, catching her breath. Well. Revali was telling Link to catch up. She might as well head back. Or maybe she would wait first for them to catch up with her…

“What in the Goddess’s name are you doing, Link?” Revali deadpans.

In the mud of the pond, Link stops mid-lunge in surprise. Two frogs in front of him hop out of reach and he panics in a frenzy to catch them. Unfortunately, they disappear in the mud. Link flops down in the mud with a big frown on his face.

Revali tries not to smile as he looks down at Link in disapproval. “We have a meeting with the Domain’s elders and you’re covered in mud. You’re supposed to be representing your race today, you know.” Link shrugs and folds his arms. He then slaps the water in frustration. What a time for Revali to notice that he was down to his briefs in the water. What a time.

Revali turns around quickly, trying to make it look nonchalant. He paces with his wings held properly behind his back. “I hope you do take to that soap I gave you before you go to the meeting.” Link makes a noncommittal humming sound before Revali can hear the sound of water falling off his body. He must be getting out. “You do _know_ how to use soap, don’t you?” Another loud splash, and Revali’s talons get soaked from behind. “Ever the mature one. I’ll leave you to your….private business.”

Link watches as the proud bird makes flight back through the rain. Private business. Link snorts.

You know, Mipha doesn’t even really know the appeal of Hylians. They’re prone to suffocating in perfectly good waters, they have horrible fashion senses, and their teeth are as blunt as planks of wood. What her past self could have seen in a Hylian, especially at her supposedly very young age, is beyond her.

Still, she is horrified when a guard yells out that a Hylian has just jumped off the bridge. She whips around to the railing and sure enough, Link is diving to the waters of the lake below. Such a brave dive for a Hylian! She has to make sure he is safe at the bottom. Mipha jumps the railing and makes the strides to catch up with Link, who is making his paces towards the underbelly of Zora’s Domain. Link seems surprised when she starts to swim beside him. But no more than she was surprised to see him make the several storied jump in one piece!

Mipha pulls herself up to the shore and looks down to see Link setting out some of his inventory. A bar of soap, some hairbands, pants and a shirt…

“You know that the meeting is soon?”

Link taps his cheek with his right hand before he starts doing plunges in the water. Mipha looks on in confusion before Link notices her and motions for her shoo. She frowns, but he grabs the soap bar and she takes that as her queue to leave him be. Like she had thought before, she was just beyond herself really.

She takes a waterfall up to the Domain and finds Urbosa making her way up to the throne room.

Urbosa eyes her up and down as Mipha falls in step beside her. “Take a quick dive, Princess?”

Mipha frowns up at her, having already told Urbosa how disconcerting it was when Urbosa calls her that. “Yes, Link startled me when he jumped into the lake just now. But he is just fine. He’ll be catching up with us shortly.”

“Better get our fill of gossip over him then while he is still away,” Urbosa grins down at Mipha, making Mipha giggle.

“That isn’t very appropriate, Urbosa.” Urbosa rolls her eyes with some comment over Mipha’s stuck-up, royal ways on her tongue before her she stops herself dead. To which Mipha sighs, “You do not have to filter yourself just because we know I am royalty now.”

“No,” Urbosa says flatly, startling Mipha. Urbosa gives Mipha a strange look. “I actually have some news actually. I suppose I can’t pick on you anymore for your royal beginnings.”

“What do you mean?”

“I was the chief of my people before the Calamity struck,” Urbosa informs Mipha, “Revali told me yesterday of his memory of me from when he was a child. His family came to perform for us back before the Calamity.”

“Oh,” Mipha says slowly, a smile spreading on her face. “Oh! Isn’t that wonderful! But what do you mean, Revali’s family were performers?”

“A choir group, apparently,” Urbosa answers as they reach the top step.

“Interesting…”

King Doraphan sits up as they enter the room. “How do you fare today, my child?”

Mipha looks up to the King, eyes soft. “I am well, Father. We only need wait a little while longer for Link to be ready.”

The King smiles down at her. “So be it.”

A couple of other Zora whisper amongst themselves to the left. Mipha and Urbosa give them a wide berth as they go to sit beside Revali and Sidon to the King’s right. Sidon, however, catches Mipha before she can sit down and asks her to join him outside for a moment. Of course she follows, feeling the eyes of all in the throne room on their backs.

Outside the throne room, Sidon leans against the railing to the stairs, practically looming over his sister. Not wanting to have him lean over her the entire conversation, Mipha goes back up a couple of steps to be at a better level with him.

“What is it, Sidon?” She asks.

Sidon smiles, but he seems uncertain. “Well, sister, I came up with a plan that would defiantly get Link into the Divine Beast. But he would require something that only you can give him. And I wanted to ask you first before I proposed it in front of our father.”

Mipha frowns, considering her brother. “That is very considerate of you, but what is it that you would be so worried that I would not want to give? You know I am determined to protect our people, if not more than ever before.”

Sidon flinches and he clasps his hands together, “I believe that if Link were to swim up the waterfalls to get a good vantage point, he could shoot electric arrows at the orbs on Vah Ruta’s shoulders. They control her water flow. The arrows will stop the endless rain and there should be a moment where Vah Ruta is paralyzed. We can strike then.”

Mipha sighs impatiently. “But Link can’t swim upstream, brother…” Her mind whirls as she connects his meaning together. Her eyes widen. “You cannot possibly expect me to give him my armor!”

Sidon winces at his sister’s tone and he backs down a step with hands out to placate her. “This is the Divine Beast we are talking about, sister. Please for the good of our people-“

“We could easily have Revali do this job and maybe even better,” Sidon tries to say something, but she cuts him off curtly with a hand, “No! You listen to me now. I am not giving Link that armor. I will not embarrass myself in front of the court so soon, let alone Link…” She climbs a couple of steps back up the stairs before turning back down to him. “Please refrain from offering the armor to Link in the meeting.”

Sidon deflates. “Yes, sister.”

He stays behind on the steps as Mipha climbs back up the steps. With a sigh, he leans over the side, head in hand. While he looks out over the Domain, Link starts his climb up.

Sidon is a fish guy. A really big, really fit guy. Link studies the prince as he climbs up the stairs. He likes guys. Or he guesses he should like guys. Does that mean he should find Sidon attractive? Or is Sidon too fish like for that to be a thing. Link throws it back and forth in his head as he approaches. It shouldn’t really matter right now. Couldn’t he just put off thinking about this stuff? He’s thought about being gay all night and all morning. He should be able to put it out of his head. He just…can’t.

Prince Sidon gives him a pearly smile. “Good day, Sir Link! Shall we head up to the meeting?” Link nods and Sidon pushes himself up off the stair railing. Together, they peak the top and everyone in the throne room turns their head. Maybe he should have rushed to get here sooner.

“About time the Hylian Champion arrived,” an aggressive voice murmurs from the corner where the elders had gathered. Link’s eyes trail over the handful of Zora standing over there as he goes to stand beside his fellow Champions.

Link feels like the meeting must have lasted for ages. All talk, back and forth over what could really work best against the Beast, even though they already spent so much time last night discussing how electric attacks would work best against the source of power: the glowing red orbs. Still. The talk drags out until the elders are finally placated in knowing that Revali would shoot it down.

Sidon says he will lead Revali up to Shatterback, a suggested location from an elder. A Lynel is said to prowl up there and it produces mass amounts of shock arrows that are then littered across its territory. Link feels disconcerted in not being considered as well, but Sidon assures him that he will not be able to join since the face of the mountain will be too wet to climb. Link relaxes, but he still worries over their safety. Revali hasn’t proven himself to be all too stealthy thus far.

Sidon sighs then very uncharacteristically, “If you only had the ability of a Zora, to climb waterfalls. Then you would have been able to join us.”

An elder tsks in the corner and Link’s interest is caught. That couldn’t possibly be something he could learn? He watches Sidon’s eyes go from himself to Mipha and he whips his head to watch Mipha scowl up at her brother.

“Of course, that would be impossible for a Hylian,” Mipha says, clearly meaning for that to be the end of it.

King Doraphan chuckles, “Hm, perhaps there is something to that. But for now, we should put that particular thought on hold. Let us only worry about achieving our goals previously discussed. I am sure Prince Sidon and Champion Revali will be successful in their upcoming mission.”

Sidon smiles, “Thank you, Father.”

With that, the meeting is dismissed.

Link catches Revali’s wing before he can follow Sidon past the bridge leaving town. Revali looks back at the Hylian and his brow scrunches when Link pulls insistently. “Ah, if you could wait a moment, Sidon? I believe Link would like to talk before I depart.” Sidon nods understandingly, and Link is able to drag Revali back to the inn.

“What is it now? You haven’t wanted to talk to my acclaimed self since your new memory whipped all good sense from your being. Which was very little to begin with, you mind.”

Link ignores Revali as he digs under his bed for the belongings he had left there. He pulls out the folded up scarf and chopsticks from Kakariko. Revali stands perplexed as Link approaches. The Hylian pulls a piece of paper off of the scarf before handing it to Revali.

The script is tiny and the paper small, but Revali still tries to peer down at the lettering between his wingtips. The name of some clothing designer is curling over the paper as well as another name, “Stealth Mask ~ Sheikah Set”.

Revali looks back up to see Link offering the scarf to him. When Revali doesn’t go to grab it right away, Link shoves the scarf his way: making Revali hold it to his chest so that it doesn’t fall to the wet floor.

 “What is this for?” Revali asks, not understanding.

Now it is Link’s turn to click his tongue, and he taps at the paper again.

“…you think if I wear this scarf it will make me stealthier?” Link nods and Revali’s face warms. “You don’t have to give me this, I am entirely capable of being stealthy.” Link gives him a deadpan frown with a head tilt deluxe and Revali has to admit maybe he has a point. Link folds Revali’s wings over the scarf and Revali gives a big sigh. “Only because you owe me for the soap.”

 Link snorts, Revali thinks rather endearingly so, and shakes his head with a smile.

Looking down to hide his own smile, Revali rolls the scarf in his wings before he finds the chopsticks. “Do I eat a stealth boost with these then? Will they improve my meal?” he asks quizzically, rolling the chopsticks between his wingtips.

Link shakes his head with a wider smile and Revali frowns at him. “Then what?”

Link sits down and pats the bed beside him. Obligingly, Revali takes a seat next to him.

“Give me your brush,” Link says rather hoarsely. He coughs, trying to clear his throat. Confused, Revali obliges again to move this along. He sets out his whole preening kit, unraveling the whole set out onto the bed behind them.

“What do you need these for?” Revali asks rather tentatively, but Link doesn’t answer. Just pushes at Revali’s shoulder to make him turn away from him. “Ow!” Link smiles wickedly as he pulls out Revali’s hair ties, none too gently. 

“You aren’t going to put those _sticks_ in my hair are you?” Revali thinks on that for a moment before ruffling, “I’m sure that has to be lewd in _some_ way.”

Link laughs gently, and smacks Revali’s shoulder. Already having had most of his tightly woven braids torn from their hair ties, Revali sulks as he lets Link finish the job. Might as well.

Content with his lot, Link smiles as he pulls the braids undone. The downy hair in his hands is amazingly soft. He picks up the brush and starts humming a little song. Something unfamiliar, but truly inspiring. Revali wonders if he has heard it before in his past life… Well, that would be unlikely now wouldn’t it.

Revali perks when he sees Urbosa and Mipha walking past. “Would you girls like to join in? We’re having a hair day over here!”

Urbosa turns her head and her face beams in delight. Mipha seems unwilling, but she lets herself be pulled over by the older Gerudo.

“I’ll even let you peruse my paints,” Revali invites, spreading his wing to show off the preening kit behind him.

Interest peaked, Urbosa goes around to look at the items in the kit before pulling out two jars with a disappointed pout. “Only red and white, Revali? Really? And there isn’t even any lip balm, you really are just a horrible supplier aren’t you.” Revali just gives her a flat look to which she raises her eyebrows dubiously.

Revali sighs, “You’re right, how could I be so ignorant to only offer you all that I have.”

Urbosa laughs as she sits herself next to Revali on the bed. “You know I only jest, song bird.”

“Mm, don’t call me that,” Revali says pointedly and he pulls out a paintbrush along with a jar of water that he has to unscrew the lid from.

Link looks up to see Mipha standing awkwardly next to the bed, just watching. He waves a little to catch her attention to which her head jerks up. Her attention caught, he pulls a hairband off of his wrist and asks her to do his hair by pointing at himself and herself a couple of times with the hairband taunt between his fingers. He’s sure there has to be a better way to ask this, but who knows how many signs Mipha would have been taught anyway.

“Oh, I don’t know… I wouldn’t know what to do to-“ Link shakes his head and she stops speaking as he again motions for her to come do his hair up. She comes to stand behind him as he pulls all of Revali’s hair together, some of the braids still not unraveled completely. He goes through the motion of pulling it all through the holder and then he undoes it, offering the hairband then to Mipha.

“Are you sure?” She asks shyly. To which Link puts the hairband in her hand and turns back to Revali’s hair. Tentatively, she runs her claws through Link’s hair. Link shivers from the feeling on his scalp and she pulls her hand out again. “Sorry, did that hurt?” Mipha asks, concerned.

Link only laughs and shakes his head. Revali stops painting Urbosa’s eyelids, wondering what those two are doing behind him. “You are putting the chopsticks in, aren’t you?” He asks impatiently. Link jabs a chopstick into his noggin to make the Rito squawk. Then he pulls Revali’s hair back hard, pulling as much of it into his hands as possible, also grabbing the feathers at the top of his head for good measure.

“Hey, be careful with my makeup artist!” Urbosa complains, squinting up to see Revali’s unpleased grimace. “What if he streaks the paint? It is too lasting to smear about.” Link gives her a placating smile and holds up a hand of surrender. Revali cranes his head back up straight, now free from Link’s tight grip.

The Champions sit like this, quietly bickering and teasing each other on Link’s inn bed. Link is obviously the first done, since all he had to do was make a bun and fit the chopsticks snuggly inside of it. Revali finishes Urbosa’s eyelids in a quick enough time, letting her see herself in his handheld mirror. Of which he is promptly teased for owning. Mipha tries to rush after her several failed attempts of evenly putting up Link’s hair. She sighs sadly when he stops her on her last attempt and puts it up himself.

The girls wander off, wishing Revali luck on his mission and Revali sets about putting away all of his preening tools. “Alright, is that all then?” he asks after he puts the kit into his storage.

Link frowns and picks up the scarf from where it had been placed on the bed. From within in the folds, he pulls out a darker piece of fabric. Unraveling the scarf completely, he motions for Revali to come closer. He’s just trying to make sure Revali had this gear on properly really.

He pulls the fabric of the mask taunt over Revali’s beak and pulls the ties for the mask back behind the Rito’s head, tying it securely in place. Then the ends of the scarf are wrapped around Revali’s neck, the ends left to hang in the front.

Revali stares down at the Hylian, concern suddenly in his eyes. “You will be okay then, won’t you? You seem to be the one to get stuck up in their head the most out of all of us. I’m sure everyone worries about you.”

Link frowns and gives Revali a confused look. He tries to open his mouth, to answer, but Revali cuts him off with some ruffled gibber. “Not that _I_ am worried. Just, when you get quiet, it makes everyone else talk. It is actually pretty annoying. ‘Oh, why doesn’t Link talk anymore? Is something wrong with him? Does he not like us anymore? Did he remember something bad?’ The what-ifs are insatiable when you’re like this-“

Revali cuts off his own rambling with a quick glance back down at Link. “Ahem. I should be going now. I’ll see you later tonight. Til then.” He promptly turns away from Link and starts his walk over to where he hopes Prince Sidon is waiting for him. Til then? Really, Revali?

Link watches Revali with a sad smile. The Rito does have a good heart, even if his mouth didn’t always match it. Still, what could he say? Hey, I suddenly remembered about my past mutism and thought that sounded about my speed?

He isn’t sure how to explain this deep feeling of rightness. How it feels like the world is crushing down on him from this growing pressure…or how comfortable mimicking the signs in the pamphlet is. He _needs_ to do well. _And_ he needs to get in touch with the person he once was. Going without speech is an easy start to that, he feels. Almost natural even.

Chest still tight, Link fidgets in place. What should he do while he waits for Revali to come back? Mipha and Urbosa kind of left him to dry while Revali was still here. Should he go look for them?

Looking out at the Domain, the rain still pours. Tomorrow, if they find the arrows, Revali will help them board the Divine Beast. The rain will end then. But…maybe in the case that they all die tomorrow, he should get at least one good look around.

Link steps out into the rain again and shivers. Man, he has had enough of all this rain for a life time.

Wandering around, he admires the structure of the Domain. The fish statues are rather…stately. He guesses. Though one fish statue stands out among the rest.

Link looks up at the larger than life statue of Mipha, placed in the middle of the Domain. She looks powerful and also serene, a trident held loosely across herself.

_His seat shook as the trunk of Mipha’s Divine Beast lifted them into the air. His arm burned from where he had rubbed the skin raw by using it to block a blunt weapon. It had worked at the time, but he was regretting it now._

_When the trunk finally settled them into the air, Mipha grabbed his arm gently and started to perform a healing magic over it. “You know…” She said quietly, her magic still cooling his raw skin. “This reminds me of the time we first met. You were just a reckless child…always getting yourself hurt at every turn. Every time, I would heal you. Just as I am doing right now. I thought it was funny how, being a Hylian, you looked grown-up so much faster than I did. I was…I was always willing to heal your wounds. Even back then.”_

_The last cool tingles of her magic settled in under his skin and the raw skin smoothed out. The skin looked completely and perfectly healed, as if it hadn’t bled at all. Mipha let his arm go so that Link could test how his arm moved now. As smooth of a job as always._

_“So if this Calamity Ganon does, in fact, return, what can we really do?” Mipha continued. She was comfortable talking very freely with him. The quieter he became, the more open she was to letting out everything she was worried about out it seemed. “We just don’t seem to know much about what we’ll be up against._

_“But know this: that no matter how difficult the battle might get…if you-if anyone tries to do you harm… Then I will heal you. No matter when, or how bad the wound…” She looked down at her lap and Link leaned in. “I hope you know…that I will always protect you.” Mipha was always such a good friend to him. A great teammate in all this grim business._

_Her hands clenched in her lap. “Once this whole thing is over, things can go back to how they used to be when we were young.” She looked back up at him slowly. “You know, maybe we could spend some more time together.”_

Mipha’s reliable face fades away from Link’s mind’s eye and he stares around dazedly in the plaza. Rain still falls heavily, making his hair lay flat and drip. Now he knows he has to find Mipha. But where did she run off to?

Link looks around the Domain, most of it visible from this vantage point, but to no avail. And if they had gone up into highlands there is no way he could find….oh wait, there they are. Link spots them up in the mountains with their legs hanging over the side. Urbosa’s big hair is a dead giveaway even from this distance. Now the better question is, how does he also get up there?

He searches around until he finds a guard nearby, who he then points the girls out to. The guard peers up at that for a moment before he both explains that they are up near the Veiled Falls, to which they have a direct path headed by a bridge, and also that they’re in a very dangerous position! What if the princess were to fall from such height?! Link gives the guard a reassuring arm pat and ventures on up to where the guard said the bridge is at.

Sure enough, Link follows along the rim of the mountain until Urbosa and Mipha are before him. He caught them in a bout of giggling to which Urbosa proceeds to expand into a full-hearted laugh. Link shifts forward, silently letting them enjoy their fun. When Mipha calms down slightly, her eyes widen when she glimpses Link.

Urbosa glances back behind her. “Oh, there you are, toothpick. We were just talking about you.”

Link gives her a questioning look as he comes to sit beside her on the ledge. She smiles down at him fondly, “I’m joking, but your timing is convenient. We were just about to go inside out of the rain.” Link looks at the far walk back down to the Domain in dismay. “No, not back down there,” Urbosa reassures. She turns then to Mipha, “Do you mind that he comes with?”

Mipha looks at Link with wide eyes and she actually looks like she might not grant permission before she shakes her head in agreement.

“Great! Let’s go then,” Urbosa boasts, getting up quickly. Mipha and Link climb up after her and follow as she leads them around the pond underneath the falls. Mipha jumps into the water while Urbosa climbs around the rocky side of the mountain. Link follows Urbosa’s example around, letting the water soak his back as he passes behind the waterfall.

Glowing rocks lead a short passageway back into a private room that Mipha obviously sleeps in. Link recognizes a sleeping pool off in the corner of the room. Mipha, herself, takes to her desk, shuffling her things around there.

Urbosa casually strains her hair of water. It comes out in long pulls, leaving generously sized puddles along the way. Link follows, avoiding the puddles, to a stone couch that Urbosa just flops her body onto. More careful than that, Link leans back into it, and vegetates there.

“So what were you going to show me?” Urbosa asks casually, watching Mipha’s hunched over back.

Mipha’s head pops up quickly. “Oh! That…that actually isn’t anything that important. I just have some candies I thought I’d share.” Deftly, Mipha pulls out a glass box from her desk. She turns around with a small smile and strides over to hand the box to Urbosa.

“Don’t be afraid to help yourself, I’ve been getting these jellies every day since I’ve come back.”

She then turns around to retrieve her desk chair as Urbosa and Link get their little grimy mitts all over her candy. Link decides he likes the orange ones the best.

“These are delicious, thank you Mipha,” Urbosa says after swallowing her sixth jelly. She holds up one that is shaped like a seashell. “The chef who makes these has so much skill.”

“I’ll be sure to let them know you enjoyed it then,” Mipha replies as she sets her chair by Urbosa. “They say I have missed out on a hundred years of candies that they now have to make up for. A very sweet person, wouldn’t you say?”

Urbosa smirks. “Just like their candy.” She pops a couple more jellies and Link nods in agreement.

“So,” Urbosa says pointedly, handing the cool box over to Link to eat out of, “Why is it that you’re not talking to birdbrain? You two seemed civil enough just earlier, but this morning he said you were avoiding him.” Urbosa notices Link’s suddenly reluctant face and she hitches her arm around him. “Don’t worry, we girls won’t tell.” She gives him a wink and Link blushes under her attention.

Quietly, Link answers, “I’m not avoiding him. Just been thinking something over.”

Urbosa’s eyebrows rise and Mipha stays silent, listening to him attentively. Urbosa lets her arm up off of him, letting Link get back his space on the couch. “And what would it be that you were not avoiding him over then?”

Link holds the jellies tighter to himself, letting the cool box comfort his suddenly warm self. “I had a memory last night. It’s between me and him and it’s really personal.”

“Too personal to spill to a couple of tight-lipped gals?” Urbosa asks, confident smile plastered on her face.

Link considers Urbosa and Mipha with shifting eyes. He pops a jelly in his mouth before answering, “I guess not. I’m getting used to knowing it now. It just caught me off guard.” Link shrugs and the other two watch him quietly as he pops more jellies into his mouth.

“…Well?” Urbosa eventually asks. Link looks down mournfully at the dwindling number of jellies left. “What was the memory then?”

Link looks up at Mipha. Wait. Mipha!

He sits up quickly, setting the jellies aside. “I also had another memory. Earlier today. It’s why I came to find you actually.”

Mipha looks at Link speculatively before pointing at herself in confusion, “Do you mean me?”

Link nods and he starts making vague motions with his hands as he talks, “I had a memory of you! It was really cool! You were using magic,” Mipha perks up and both girls sit up straighter in their seats, “and you healed a wound I had. You said you did it often and that we knew each other since childhood. That’s so crazy!” Link finishes his little speech, throwing his hands up. He sits back in the couch and waits to let Mipha process what he had told her. But then he remembers another important detail. “And we were sitting up on Vah Ruta while you did it,” he punctuates with a quick jab at the air.

“Healing magic…” Mipha says wonderingly. She looks then over at Urbosa. “In all of my researching of my old life, I had not found anything pertaining to healing. There is some information on faith and prayer, but that is all I believe.”

Urbosa frowns. “No and no one has mentioned this to us since we’ve been here. You would think they would want you to remember such a vital skill.”

“Maybe it is something only remembering myself fully can provide…” Mipha speculates. All three sit in silence to ponder over the mysteries they cannot help but to stumble over. “I will ask Father and Muzu on the matter later today.” Mipha then smiles at Link. “Thank you.”

Urbosa grabs for the jellies on the couch and pops one in her mouth. Mipha gives her a pained look and Urbosa looks down at the jellies in disbelief. Like she didn’t help to eat them all. She gives Mipha an apologetic, yet playful smile as she hands over the box.

Mipha takes the box gratefully and pulls out one of the last jellies. Her eyes, however, rest on Link heavily. “As thankful as I am that you told me my history, it baffles me more now to know that you are keeping secrets from Revali,” Link raises his eyebrows in shock, “Yes, you did not make me forget our earlier conversation so easily. No matter how shocking the healing magic is of a revelation.”

“She’s right,” Urbosa reprimands Link, leaning toward him now. “What was it that happened between you two?”

Link looks between the two girls, a cornered mouse in a house of cats. There isn’t a hotter seat in all of Hyrule Kingdom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The cuties are back with a vengeance! Hope you enjoyed this week's update and as always don't be afraid to send feedback about the latest chapter either in the comments below or at my tumblr account! (same name) 
> 
> Next chapter, Vah Ruta's, will be coming out next Tuesday! Til then :D


	9. Lanayru

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Read the new tags if you are Concerned. Otherwise, enjoy! :D

Mipha picks out a kelp flavored jelly from the box. Link, the unruly yet silent type of the group, fidgets in front of her. Mipha looks back at Urbosa, who is comfortably splayed across her half of the coach; Link looks like a child in comparison.

Mipha’s attention is caught again when Link opens his mouth, but he closes it again in frustration. He fidgets with his hands again, fingering his digits together and separating them again. Together and apart.

  _“Princess, Princess-“ Link signed over his chest excitedly. He was walking forward with his father, both making their entry to Zora’s Domain. Mipha looked up at her mountain of a father and smiled when he nodded for her to go greet them._

_Still small children, they ran to each other while Link’s father took his time to catch up. “Hello,” Mipha signed making Link smile wider._

_“You practiced?” he asked, slowing down his hands so that Mipha could see his signs clearly._

_“A little,” she answered with careful hands._

_“That’s great!” Link’s father said out loud, his voice the consistent warble of the deaf. “Oo you know his name? I can teach you a shorthand version.”_

_Mipha watched Link’s ears turn red, but she signed his name out for his father’s amusement._

_“Pearlfect! This is what his aunt calls him-“ Sir Faron tried to make a sign with his hands, but Link adamantly shoved his own hands onto the knight’s: effectively garbling up the word. “Aah, but it would be easier-“ Link continued to smack his father’s hands, silencing the knight by way of making him laugh. “Okay, okay, I give,” Sir Faron signed and his son let up on his brutal attack._

_By now, even Mipha’s father had begun to chortle. A sweet smile hung on King Doraphan’s face as he look down on the Hylians and his hands moved faster than Mipha was accustomed to. She couldn’t catch her father’s meaning, but Sir Faron only laughed and nodded in return._

_“An embarrassing nickname,” her father told her, leaning toward ever so slightly. “In any case, we must start our consultation shortly. Would you mind occupying Page Faron while I talk with King Rhoam’s delegate?”_

_“It would be my pleasure,” Mipha reassured and she led Link off so that they could go play. Although Mipha was about grown out of it, Link always surprised her with his newly grown strength and intelligence._

Mipha blinks and frowns.

_Link’s face was stony as he approached the throne room. He knelt in front of King Doraphan and kept his head down until her father let him rise once more. Mipha eyed the sword that sealed the darkness, strapped onto Link’s back. So much has changed. He was so different from his younger self. She supposed she was now too. They had both made great strides and she smiled shyly at being able to see him once more._

_The country-wide disasters had been worrying._

_She stood by as her father detailed Link over a mission to remove an electrical monster that had been roaming the Domain. Many Zora had already been hurt by this creature. One had died._

_The tension in Mipha’s forehead rose and she swallowed down the emotion that thought provoked._

_“Do your best, Sir Faron. Report back by tomorrow evening.”_

_Link bowed and turned on his heel, not even bothering to look at Mipha. She tried not to take it personally. Instead she followed him out. Her father made no disagreement._

_“Sir Link! Please wait. I’ll come with!” Mipha called down at him from the top of the stairs. Link looked back at her and nodded. He barely met her eyes, but he waited._

_“How were your travels?” Mipha signed. Link’s eyes caught on the motion and he followed her hands until she had finished her statement._

_He shrugged before signing, “Okay. Safe.”_

_Mipha waited for him to say more, but that never came. They simply walked down to the bridge together, silently. She didn’t mind. There was a nice peace to it. A pleasant feeling._

_“Stay here. I’ll be back soon,” Link signed once they reached the end of the bridge. He offered her a small smile and her face warmed. He was so different now. What was happening?_

_Mipha nodded, eyes wide. She stared off after him until he wasn’t visible and then she frowned. Would he be back that soon? How soon? A Lizalfo is a dangerous creature. Would he be safe? She tarried at the bridge, not wanting to leave it until she had Link back with her. Safe._

_She sighed when his blonde hair poked back around a mountain side. He looked worn and a little battered, but otherwise alright. When he approached her, Link stopped and gave her a small smile. A nod._

_“Let me heal your wounds. Come with me?” She signed, stumbling over her first sentence. He nodded again, the smile fading, and she lead him to the Veiled Falls._

_The glow of sneaky snails shone in the falls lakeside; the night was slowly creeping upon the Domain. Carefully, Mipha rested herself on the shore and waited for Link to sit in front of her. He remained silent the whole time, it felt deafening compared to how they used to talk._

_After Mipha finished healing his arms, Link held up a hand to stop her from getting up. Patiently, she waited for him as he dug through his bag. Her eyes widen when he pulled out some hearty lizards, still alive. They skittered across his hands and he smiled happily down at them._

_He then offered them to Mipha. “They’re good for elixirs,” he explained simply._

_Mipha remained cautious, “For me?” Link offered the lizards again, cute little faces looking up at hers. There was no way she could cook these little cuties. But she’d take them none the less. “Of course, thank you.”_

_She looked at Link’s almost open smile and smiled herself. There was still that kind soul there. That much wasn’t any different._

Opening her eyes again, Mipha came face to face with a worried Hylian squat in front of her. His hands rest on her knees and he looks up at her patiently. Mipha smiles down gently at him and puts her hand on his check. “I’m okay. Just watching you sparked some memories. They were rather pleasant, don’t worry.” Link smiles into her cheek and Mipha feels her heart clench. Maybe there was something to her old feelings. Something substantial.

“Oh chosen ones!” An annoying bird chirps from outside the falls. “Your great and beloved Champion of the Rito has scavenged some shock arrows for your servicing only! Do come meet him so that you can witness his prowess as he dismantles the Divine Beast Vah Ruta!”

Link sighs audibly and gets up quickly to leave the chamber.

“Hey wait! You little brat, don’t think you’ve escaped this conversation that easily!” Urbosa calls after him, getting up herself. Link turns around and sticks his tongue out at her to which she gasps. “Oh no, you didn’t!” He is already out of the chamber before Urbosa can catch up.

Mipha sighs, looking at the empty couch and then down at the jellies in her lap. There goes their open heart to heart moment. Why did she have to spend so much time spacing out? She pops the last of the jellies in her mouth and leaves the box on the chair.

The Champions soon find themselves walking up the slippery stairwell to the top of the reservoir. Link follows close behind Revali’s lead, the proud bird’s head is held high in triumph.

He is still wearing the stealth mask Link had given him. It makes Link happy that his gift had been usefully in quieting the Rito, at least in his walk. While Revali’s talons still clicked on the wet stones, his feathers didn’t rustle near as badly. Link would have to remember to buy more of that armor set. Once he had more rupees that is.

“You’re here!” Prince Sidon greets them at the top of the stairs. Mipha pulls up the tail of the party and Sidon goes toward her intently, giving her a huge hug that lifts her off the ground. Urbosa chuckles as he sets Mipha down gently. “Are we ready to face this great Beast?”

Everyone agrees and Revali walks forward toward the waters. Just a couple shock arrows in and he’ll be done with wet feathers. And sure enough, the party stands back and watches in awe as Revali craftily dodges ice boulders and lands his marks. He gets the beast down to its last orb and he lands his final blow. However, one of the last ice boulders, one with spikes, catches his shoulder when he lets his guard down. He crashes down into the water with the rest of the ice.

Mipha and Sidon take off into the water the moment Revali’s body makes waves. Urbosa has to hold Link back from following suit. They wait grueling minutes as Revali is recovered and brought back to the reservoir wall. Everyone gathers around. His shoulder is bleeding profusely and he isn’t responsive, but he’s breathing and his chest rises steadily. Just knocked out good.

“I should go,” Mipha says, looking back up at the group then back at Vah Ruta, which kneels on its knees now in the water. “Who knows how long she’ll stay like that.”

Sidon looks worriedly at her sister and then glances at Link. He gets it.

“I’m with you,” Link signs, heading over to the edge.

“Here,” Urbosa hands over her clothes for bandaging. “Clean him up for us, would you?” She asks Sidon, not even bothering to check if he agrees to.

Sidon watches faintly as the other Champions swim out to the Divine Beast. Already it is creaking back to life. Revali moans from below and Sidon sighs. He can’t baby his older sister. Might as well baby the closest thing available.

On the beast, Mipha pulls Urbosa on board shortly before Ruta starts to shuffle back onto her legs. Urbosa starts walking into the Beast while Mipha and Link go to fuss with the Slate at the entrance. Now they can warp on and off of the Beast at will.

Mipha pulls out an old hand-drawn map from her belt and gives it a thoughtful perusal. “The terminal that has the Slate map should be just ahead. I don’t remember too much about the inner workings of the Beast, but thankfully Princess Zelda was watching out for us,” she smiles, giving the map a little pat.  

The pair catch up to Urbosa, who has just gotten rid of a Guardian Scout that had been in the entrance room. Slowly, the party works through the room. Using both the Sheikah Slate and Urbosa’s pure brawn, they muscle through the inner workings of the Divine Beast easily. Though they keep a creeping worry of what is to come always in the back of their minds. It did not take much to take Revali out of the game. Who knows what could happen next?

Mipha keeps a constant eye out around the Beast. Something wasn’t quite right. Whatever had killed her, she didn’t mean to brag in saying that nothing had been that dangerous yet, but whatever had killed her had not appeared yet. There just was no way that all these little dribblings of Malice did her in.

While Mipha fidgets, her mind on the Beast, Urbosa is thinking still on their conversation with Link. There is still so much about themselves that they have still to learn. She hadn’t thought she’d find interest in knowing about her previous life before freeing the land of Ganon, but now… Taking care of Ganon was proving to be a multi-step process. And if they had time to solve out Mipha and Link’s past then maybe…

But they can’t find anything else out about Koriga for now. There is, however, a little mouse who is keeping secrets in the group. Her eyes glint back over to size Link up. It couldn’t be that bad of a secret. He is still here after all. Is it really her place to pry, though? Hm…

“You know, sealer of darkness that you may be, you are but a man. It must be difficult to have to carry that burden for us all,” Urbosa eases the topic into discussion over a terminal. Link looks up at her quizzically. “And from my experience, every man has a…state of humility they must own up to. Without it, they remain prideful their whole lives-“

Link squishes up his nose and turns swiftly away from the terminal. Mipha hears Urbosa stirring the pot and looks at her disapprovingly.

Urbosa shrugs and follows close onto Link’s heel. Not having given up just yet.

Urbosa sighs, “As fellow Champions, Mipha and I would never judge you. But our shared past is important to all of us-“

“It isn’t about anyone else: just me,” Link stops, giving her steady eyes. “Please stop asking. I’m back to playing nice with Revali. Isn’t that enough?”

Urbosa stops, struck still. “You are?”

“I did his hair, didn’t I? I’m not mad at him or anything,” Link huffs, continuing on his way, Slate in hand.

Mipha stops beside Urbosa’s side. “Tactful.”

Urbosa sighs in resignation. “You wanted to know, too. Don’t reprimand me. I’m old enough to be your grandmother.”

“But are you, though?” Mipha sighs, giving Urbosa a strange look.

“Hey, you can’t just say that and walk away! I am aren’t I?”

The chatter continues like this until finally they only have the Main Control Unit to go. Mipha’s heart is in her throat. It couldn’t be this easy. They return to the room they had entered and a tired looking Rito is found waiting. Revali leans heavily against the entrance, his bandages not doing much to prevent the bleeding from soaking through.

Mipha gasps and everyone goes to hover around him. “How could Sidon let you fly up here?” Mipha shrilly states, already making grabbing movements for Revali’s bandages. Revali tries to shrug her off, but he only manages to shrug down to the floor. 

“Didn’t think you could do this without me, did you?” Revali jokes between deep intakes of breath.

Mipha tsks and starts unrolling his bandages again. Urbosa laughs, squatting beside him, “Yeah, actually we were doing just fine. Absurd, I know.”

Link looks back at the Main Control Unit, just through the open doorway, and then to Revali. It makes him sort of mad that Revali would take such a risk in coming up here in his condition. Link knows why he did it. Just waiting for them to come back must have gotten the best of him. Still….there was only one last unit and then they could all go home. Revali needs to be back down where all the Zora’s medical tonics are.

And so determined to finish this quickly, Link takes his Slate into the next room.

Urbosa sits teasing birdbrain for his dumb bravery. Honestly, what a Champion. She looks up to see Link’s reaction to her chiding. He isn’t there.

Alert, Urbosa sits up, looking around the Beast for any sign of blonde hair. Not a pointy Hylian ear in sight. “Link?” She calls out warily, getting Mipha to look up from where she is rebandaging Revali’s shoulder. Mipha holds the bandage in place and sends her gaze around the room. No sign of him.

Revali coughs, “He went into that room on the side.” Mipha’s eyes widen and she makes Revali hold onto his own bandages as she gets up. Urbosa is already moving in on the doorway.

Urbosa gets a chance to see inside at the smog encompassing the Main Control Unit before the doors slam in her face. “Reckless bastard!” She yells, slamming her fist against the door.

Revali’s eyes as he witnesses the girls panic. “What did he just do?”

Inside the Control Room, Link stumbles back from the Main Unit. A heavy, nasty smelling Malice is reforming above the Unit. He messed up this time.  

A huge blight forms over him in shreds of brilliant, blue light. The water in the chamber rises minutely. A large glowing weapon is its left arm and it looks to be completely made of Malice and Guardian materials.  

Link doesn’t even get a moment to think about what weapon would work best against such an absolute nightmare, for it slices its long spear right through his chest. Link gasps, feeling the blood rise in his throat. There is no way. There never was.

He was always meant to be a failure.

Mipha had to go back to bandage up Revali, but she helps the Rito get a grip of his bow and arrow. If they die now, they die fighting. Urbosa waits patiently with sword in hand. They all flinch when the door opens again…but nothing comes out.

Urbosa stares for a dumb moment. The room is blissfully quiet, unlike moments ago when a rage could be heard. Whatever had been in there had disappeared now. All that was left is an inch of water. And a body in the middle of the floor.

Seeing Urbosa rush in, Mipha follows suit. “No!”

The body lays limp, his blood leaks and contaminates the water surrounding him. Urbosa sits in the pool, trying desperately to find a pulse. Nothing, nothing!

Mipha slows her gaunt, shell-shocked. She walks around Urbosa and kneels down in front of her. Mipha’s eyes fill, she can tell from here. There’s nothing they can do for Link. He’s left. Her hand extends and she cups his cheek, tears running down her face. He’s still warm to the touch.

_“You were using magic and you healed a wound I had. You said you did it often and that we knew each other from childhood. That’s so crazy!”_

Which was the crazy part, Mipha thinks sadly, that we were childhood friends or that you needed healing so often? Seeing how reckless you truly are…I’d say the fact that we were friends was a blessing for you, directly from the Goddess herself. Mipha blinks, tears rolling past her lashes.

Slowly, she clasps her hands and bows her head. There was magic and then there was necromancy…how far would the Goddess go for the one who healed her knight?

O’ holy Goddess…for whom I am ever grateful to. Grant me your strength, for I must do the unspeakable on your behalf. For all of our behalves. Our knight needs us and we must lend him our strength so that he may fight once again. Please…let me bring him back. I love him too much to let him go just yet.

He cannot be yours just yet.

_The swordsman was never for me. He was for the land. For you. Just like I am._

Mipha allows herself to feel it for the first time. The overwhelming fondness, the love. How much she wants Link to succeed in his quest. How proud she is to even know him. He can’t die here. She won’t allow it.

Through Urbosa’s shut eyes, holding back any amount of emotion that wants to be let out, she sees a light blue light filter through. She cracks her eyes in confusion and in front of her, Mipha’s hands are extended over Link’s body. Urbosa’s eyes widen as the blood that was soaking into their clothes, dripping into the waters: it all pulls back into him. The wound heals. The clothes repair. Link’s chest raises and Urbosa holds her breath until Link lets his own out.

Tears finally leak from Urbosa’s eyes and she lets herself smile as she tugs Link closer to her chest. Urbosa looks up at Mipha and the other girl is smiling with her own tear tracks still being ran down her face.

Mipha leans over and Urbosa tilts Link away from herself so that Mipha can get a better look. Link’s eyes flutter open and he tenses before he feels up his chest where the killing blow had been. Knowingly, he smiles up at Mipha.

Link’s right hand curls into a thumbs up and he pulls his fist towards himself. _My fault._

Mipha huffs. Entirely his fault. Only and absolutely his fault. Still…she loves him.

They leave the Main Control Unit, Urbosa carrying Link easily like a child. Revali looks up at them worriedly before his concern melts to relief when Link waves at him. Urbosa sets Link up against the wall beside Revali. He still seems weak, but that’s what’s happens when you return from the dead. Stupid boy, Urbosa thinks fondly. Only happy that he’s back. He owed Mipha dearly for this.

“Here, I relearned how to do my old healing magic. Let me heal your shoulder, Revali.”

Confused, Revali watches tentatively as Mipha undresses and starts producing a glowing light over his blow.

In awe, he can only think to ask, “And how did you just come to stumble on this little trick? Could have used it much sooner than now.”

Mipha laughs lightly, the light shakes. “If I had remembered it before, rest assured I would have used it. Link was lucky he had told me about it before he went into that cursed room by himself.” Revali looks over at Link plainly, and the Hylian has the dignity to blush at the statement.

“You must have fucked up really badly then,” Revali speaks plainly. Mipha frowns as she finishes off her magic. Revali feels where the new feathers had grown, and he had to admit that that was an amendable power to possess.

“He did,” Urbosa says drily. She kneels down and swipes the Sheikah Slate off of Link, who protests to no end. In his weakened state, he might as well have saved his breath. “No, this our turn now. Revali, wait here with him until we have finished. We will meet you out here when we’re done,” Her eyes meet Mipha’s, “Princess?”

Mipha, hesitates, but stands up swiftly. “Yes, as she said. We will take out the Malice at the heart of Vah Ruta. You two, please be safe. Revali,” she says, looking at him directly, “Look after Link for me, okay?”

“I am to _babysit_ while you two fight for your lives?” Revali asks, indignant. He stands up to his full height and looks down on Mipha. “Don’t you think my skills would be more usefully, well I don’t know, helping _kill_ whatever almost _killed Link_.”

“He did die,” Mipha says sternly, throwing Revali off, “And he needs supervision for any ill affects until I can return to monitor him myself,” She stands up straighter and lifts her head so that she can look Revali squarely, “And you will do well to heed my request and to stay with him until then. Because as of now, if anything were to happen to Link while we reclaim Vah Ruta, the responsibility for his death will rest completely on _your shoulders._ ”

Revali’s beak tightens and he looks ready to argue, but Link tugs on his pant leg. Then the Hylian pats the floor beside him, asking silently for Revali to stop and just sit. He has faith that Urbosa and Mipha can do it on their own. Revali looks back at Mipha and Urbosa forlornly. Then he focuses on Mipha, “Just make sure not to get yourself killed in there. I don’t think any free passes come for the hero’s necromancer. No matter how powerful she may be.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Mipha mutters through tight lips.

Urbosa then pulls the Zora along back to the Main Control Unit. Revali slumps back to the floor beside Link and Link flops his head on his shoulder. 

Revali sighs and flops his head on top of Link’s tiredly. “You gave us all a great scare there, little hero. Imagine if I had had to go find the sealing sword in your place? It would probably be ridiculously tiny in my sizable wings.”

Link huffs a laugh, “…sorry.”

Revali lifts his head, “I do believe that is the first time you’ve spoken to me all day.”

Link looks up at him with wide eyes, then his eyes crinkle with laugh lines. “I asked for your brush.”

“Oh, silly me,” Revali lets out, his head falling back against the wall, “How could I forget such a thrilling exchange?”

Link hunches into himself, presumably laughing. But the laughter grows haggard. Concerned, Revali turns to look Link over closely and he crumbles a little at what he sees. Link curls in further on himself, trying to hide his face.

Revali tenses and rises onto his knees in front of Link. “Now now, there’s no need for that,” He cooes, holding his wings up awkwardly, “We’re all okay now. So don’t cry, please, I don’t know what to say to you while you’re crying.”

The ball in front of him huffs sadly, and tiny Hylian hands come up to try to wipe away the tears. “Sorry.”

“Do you want to talk about it?” Revali asks, not even bothering to accept Link’s apology. This really was too much. Link shakes his head. He’s still crying pretty steadily. “Well,” Revali is so completely out of his own depth here. He had grown used to Link’s playful attitude, and was getting over losing it for a more serious diligence. Now everything is off the hinges. “Do you…want to cry about it?”

Link shakes his head again, still crying. “Ur-Urbosa and Miiipha-a…” He sobs besides himself. He just cannot get a grip anymore. The weight of everything on them all just keeps falling down onto his shoulders. He’s so tired already. “They’re g-…They’re g-going to...”

“Mipha and Urbosa are both very capable Champions,” Revali tries to reassure Link, his wings still spread around him. “Please do calm down. They will be fine.” Link looks up at him, none too sure. “I promise they will be fine. Are there any windows in that room?” Link silences altogether, putting his thought all into that one memory. He nods his head. “Good. I can go check up on them if you’d like.” Link nods his head slowly and Revali makes to get up. “Stay here while I go out. If you leave, Mipha will have my head for sure.”

The Rito turns to leave, but he can hear a quiet, pathetic laughter as he goes. Maybe the second death is getting to Link a little bit. Revali doesn’t know how to get to him now though to help. He guesses he never really knew.

Flying outside, Revali quickly finds the room where all the action is taking place. He tries to remain hidden though. He wouldn’t want Mipha to notice him anywhere that isn’t his post beside Link. Inside the Main Control Unit’s room, the water has risen to create a sizable pool. Platforms litter the room and Mipha swims in between them while Urbosa hops from one to another. Mipha is doing a decent job at protecting Urbosa from the ice blocks the horrid creature is throwing. Revali watches for a beat longer as Urbosa surprises him with a show of decent archery. Her arrows fly true. 

Feeling a bit more confident in them, he flies back inside to Link, who seems to still be in the throes of grief.

“They are doing amazing in there,” Revali tells him, slumping down against the wall. Link looks over him with wide eyes, tears slowing. “I’d be in there helping if they weren’t,” He reassures whatever pessimistic voice that is controlling Link’s emotions. Link’s shoulders sag in what the Rito can only guess to be relief. Link rolls back to rest his back against the wall.

“…I feel so gross,” Link tells him slowly. Revali waits him out. Even though waiting never did make Link talk more. However, small surprises are allowed to happen occasionally. “I feel so petty. For not just talking to you about what I remembered,” Link rambles on, “And then I got _over it_ and I still hadn’t _talked to you yet. I went in there_ by myself _, what was I thinking-g…”_ The end of his sentence gets drawn out by some major hiccupping; he is quick to try to quiet himself.

Link hunches over again, but this time Revali lets his wing rise to curl around the Hylian. “You had no idea what was in there. None of us did. I was the one who last saw you. I didn’t say even a peep until it was too late.”

“N-not your fault…” Link grumbles.

Revali squeezes Link’s shoulder. “No. It’s Ganon’s. I can’t tell you what you did wasn’t stupid. It was. But all of this destruction…that’s Calamity Ganon’s fault. You cannot blame yourself for dying in the face of that.”

“…don’t you?”

Link looks up at Revali with his big blue eyes. By the Goddess, he’s bad at this. Revali lets out an exaggerated sigh and flops his head back on top of Link’s. “Of course I do. I blame myself for everything…”

“It wasn’t even that big of a memory,” Link bemoans. His head comfortably notched into the side of Revali’s neck. Link cranes his head up to speak more directly to Revali. “We were drinking in a small military camp. You and me, we were keeping look out.”

Revali’s eyebrows draw together. “Sounds nice. What’s so bad about that?”

Link shrugs. “I could have just told you that. I don’t remember much from that night-“ Revali snorts at that, “-shush, I don’t. I-…..”

Revali lifts his head up. “No, keep going. What happened?”

Link takes a deep breath and sits straight up. From out of his pocket, he pulls the military pamphlet out that Prince Sidon had given him. He hands it to Revali. “Prince Sidon took me up to the reservoir last night. You remember that?” Revali nods, giving the pamphlet a speculative look over. “We talked about a bunch of stuff. One thing we talked about was that I was a silent knight,” Revali gives him a questioning glance, “I didn’t talk.”

“…but you could?”

Link shrugs, “I don’t know why I didn’t talk. But I used signs like this more often than that. Though, in my memory I did speak…”

“So you chose not to,” Revali says, giving him a pretty flat look.

Link tries to search for a better way to put that, but he comes up empty-handed. “...yes?”

Revali huffs, still perusing the pamphlet with interest. He tries to make his wingtips form some of the gestures, but he’s having some problems. Link reaches over to move a wingtip back to make the gesture out more clearly. Revali lets him try, but quickly pulls his wing out of reach when the improved gesture sends a spasm of pain through his whole wing. Link moves back to his space.

“I…wanted to be more like I used to be.”

Flipping through the pamphlet, Revali huffs a laugh, “And why would you want to do that? Being who you used to be is what got you killed in the first place-“

Revali strikes still and slowly turns his head to meet Link’s hard eyes. They stay hard for a moment longer before he bursts into another fit of unfit laughter. “And the second!” Link laughs. Revali laughs along awkwardly until Link calms down. Link coughs, “Sorry.”

“Not a problem.”

Link looks away shyly before looking back up at Revali. “I told you something about myself while we were drinking. Something I hadn’t even thought about after reawakening.”

Revali straightens his face. “Is that what you didn’t want to tell me?” Revali ponders that and then amends, “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to. If it’s just about you.”

Frowning, Link looks away. He shrugs, “Not that big a deal. It’s just that I’m gay.” The door to the Main Control Unit opens and Urbosa and Mipha come hobbling out. Mipha looks up at the sound of Link’s voice and she frowns.

“What are you talking about?”

Revali is still stunned beside him, and Link has to suppress a giggle. His emotions feel like their everywhere, bubbling under his skin. He cups a hand beside his mouth before he yells over to her, “I’m GAY!” Urbosa looks at him and gives him a curious thumbs up, but if anything Mipha looks a mix between furious and something else entirely.

Seeing Mipha’s expression, Link sobers up quickly. He really needs to consider how wise his actions are before he takes them. She sighs though and gives him a sad smile. “Was that all your secret was? I was hoping for something more…scandalous honestly.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haha got a little angsty, but we've got communication! We've got a Divine Beast! Things are going great!.....ish. 
> 
> In other news, I'll be away this coming week, so expect the next chapter to come out the week after! As like last time, I'll put in these notes when the exact date will be coming closer to the second week. See you then!


	10. Lanayru

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh holy! if you hadn't heard on tumblr, I've been going through some stuff! and then this week, archive wouldn't let me copy the story into it's formatting system. I'm so sorry guys, but it finally let me do it today so I hope you all enjoy some of the closure that this chapter brings :'') aaaaah

“If you do not mind, I would like some time alone with my Divine Beast. We have been apart for too long. I must see if I can relocate her as well.”

And so Urbosa, Link, and Revali leave Mipha to bring the good news to Prince Sidon who waits for them still out on the reservoir’s edge. They then bring the good news to King Doraphan himself and his appreciation is overwhelming. Of course that comes after the crashing concern of not seeing his daughter with the group. The evening is spent in celebration once it is affirmed that all is well. Later on Mipha eventually comes down from the reservoir, not having moved the Beast one inch. She seems to be the only sullen one in the entire village.

The evening celebrations come to a soothing cooldown, finding the Champions gathered on the rim of the reservoir with Prince Sidon. An aged bottle of wildberry wine had been brought out from the dusty hollows of the Domain, along with many sweet treats and seasoned meats.

Everyone talks excitedly, sharing the exciting and not so exciting aspects of bringing down the Divine Beast. They try to bring Mipha into their spinning tales, congratulating her on all of her feats. She will blush or sputter her humble excuses and then stare off again at Vah Ruta. Still sitting, now still, off in the middle of the lake.

“So, you have helped us calm Vah Ruta, Revali. Will you continue on your work for Lady Impa now?” Urbosa asks, an almost empty glass in hand.

“Who is this Lady Impa?” Sidon interrupts before Revali can form an answer.

Revali cranes his head up to Sidon, “She’s the elder of Kakariko Village, where the Sheikah people hole up in. She’s one of the few that was around before the great Calamity.” Sidon gives him an imperative stare and Revali rectifies his error quickly, “Outside of the Zora people.”

“She split our group up when she handed out a mission on behalf of Princess Zelda herself. Revali was one of the two to pick up this mission,” Urbosa adds on.

Sidon looks around at the Champions. “Then I am to assume that the Goron Champion is the other one to take on this mission?”

“That would be a correct assumption,” Revali answers smoothly.

“Why did you not take the mission, Mipha?” Sidon asks then, bemused. “You cared so deeply for Princess Zelda and held her opinion with high esteem. Surely you would be willing to help her however you could.”

Looking up at her brother, Mipha sighs out, “We had only been out of our Resurrection slumber for a week at the time. We knew nothing of this land or of who we were. No memories had come to us as a whole. It was a great risk to take on a task for a lady we knew nothing of, for a cause we knew equally as much about. Even now, I have my reservations.”

Revali frowns over at her. “Is that so? You will risk life and limb for your people, but not for Hyrule? Which would give you more notoriety than the former? Why risk your life at all then?”

“Some of us do not seek notoriety among the masses. But rather prefer to do what is transparently in the right,” Mipha states coldly.

“Fair enough!” Sidon interrupts, holding up a glass. “So does this mean that you cannot reveal the details of this mission, Champion Revali?”

“Champion Revali?” Revali asks, endearingly, “I grow to like you better with each passing day, Prince Sidon. As for the mission, I have actually accomplished what I have traveled to Lanayru to finish.” Link’s head shoots up in concern. “Although there is still some intelligence that I will be needing. I suppose it doesn’t hurt to say that I will have to make another trip to Kakariko before carrying out the rest of Lady Impa’s wishes.”

“You’re splitting up from us so soon?” Urbosa asks, also worried, although not so obviously.

Revali picks up a boar bit slowly. “That depends if you and the dolphin princess can come to some better senses about this whole situation we are in,” he drawls and then eats the bit.

“Excuse you,” Mipha chimes back in again, agitation clear in her voice. “Your opinion is not the first nor the last book to understanding in this world, Revali. You’d be better off remembering that from time to time.”

“Yes do excuse me for having a differing opinion from yours, Princess. What an injury to your pride that must be.”

Mipha stands up, abruptly. “I think I’ve had enough celebrations for one night. Do _excuse me_ , for I must go rest. Good night everyone.” Link frowns at Revali as they all watch Mipha leave. Revali shrugs back at him.

Sidon looks around anxiously at the group. “I…better go talk to her. See if we can sort anything out in a…calmer…fashion. My apologies.” Sidon also gets up and leaves with much warmer fair wells.

“See what you did, Revali? Made the Zora leave their own party,” Urbosa tsks as she grabs for the still half-full wine bottle.

“More wine for us then,” Revali grumbles, holding out his glass to Urbosa. After filling her own, Urbosa contemplates Revali’s offered glass before settling the bottle down in front of him. Letting him pour his own. Revali sighs, “Are you also mad with me? I don’t think I could bear it if Auntie Urbosa were to ignore me as well.”

“Then you should think ahead before you speak,” Urbosa says simply while she leans back and refolds her legs over each other. “You were a little harsh just now.”

“I only see a simple solution to all this. It is much clearer from my perspective I assure you,” Revali amends as he fills his wine glass. “Do you believe me, Link? I mean no fowl play.”

Link smirks, but reschools his expression instantly back to indifference. He gives Revali a very serious expression.

Revali frowns, knowing that Link wants to revert back to sign language. “Please, we do not have time right now for second language learning tonight. Can you please just speak your mind?” Link’s frown deepens and Revali starts fretting, “You don’t have to, but can’t you see that what I’m doing is important? Why else would I waste my time with it if it weren’t?”

Urbosa chuckles as she watches the boys get more and more anxious between each other. “What is this about a second language? I don’t believe I’ve heard about this yet.”

Link smiles at her and pulls out the old pamphlet again. He hands it over to her. She smiles down at the papers as she flips through them. “You know these?”

Link looks fondly down at the paper before answering, “I used to talk primarily through sign. It was a huge part of who I was. Before the Calamity.”

“I see,” Urbosa looks fondly up at Link, “Do you mind if I borrow this? I would like to learn the signs to better communicate with you. They look very useful for sneaking up on camps as well.”

Link scooches closer to Urbosa, looking down at his pamphlet with a frown. “I don’t know…”

“I’ll take good care of it,” Urbosa assures him, folding the pamphlet up carefully. Link looks between the pamphlet to Urbosa again and he nods slowly in agreement. “Thank you, Link.” She looks back at Revali, who is a ball of upset feathers still. “You know, you’d make better friends if you were nicer. But with that said, I made sure Mipha returned home safe and sound. That was my only goal, so I would not be opposed to returning to Kakariko with you. Do you think it important for Mipha to come as well? I can probably convince her if need be.”

Revali thinks on this, and then replies, “While her skill set would be useful in our goals, I do not see her involvement being of the greatest importance,” Revali looks out to the Divine Beast in the waters, “As it is, she is already helping out in her own way. I doubt prodding her to do more will actually help.”

“If you say so.”

“And you?” Revali rounds on Link, “Will you be coming to Kakariko to talk to Lady Impa with us?”

Link thinks about it, the implications on going on missions for Lady Impa. The coming toll and the risk. He also thinks of Princess Zelda, waiting in the castle for him. And the Korok scattered perhaps everywhere in Hyrule, the mysterious knowledge they must possess. He has so much he has to do. There is no doubt, his life was in risk the moment he joined the military. Would he take on the gauntlet of his past life, or pass by his life like every other Hylian since the Calamity struck?

Link remembers the pamphlet, now securely put away in one of Urbosa’s pockets. He wants to be everything he once was. For better or worse, his life is his own. No one else can pick up where he left off.

“I’ll join in. We can use the shrine in the village to teleport there.”

Revali smiles over at him widely, “Glad to hear.”

The tired out party packs up the leftover food, and Revali takes it on himself to keep the rest of the wildberry wine. They spend their last night in the Domain’s inn, and then wake up to a warm breakfast made by the innkeeper. “A thank you for saving our Domain. We couldn’t be more grateful.”

Link watches curiously as Revali pulls his downy hair back up into another bun. Revali catches Link’s eye and sputters, “What, you don’t want the scarf back do you?” Link shakes his head with a grin and leaves Revali to pull on the sneaky scarf. Link had thought he might get it back, but he had to admit that it probably suited Revali better anyway.

“To the Veiled Falls?” Urbosa suggests, after their stomachs are full and their bags are packed. The boys agree. Together, they all head up to the westward bridge. By the time they reach the base of the falls, the morning is starting earnestly for the community down below.

“I’ll go in first. See if she is awake,” Urbosa states, making the other two stay outside while she crawls around the edge of the water. “Mipha? Are you awake yet?” She calls around the bend of the hallway.

“Hello Urbosa! Yes, I have been awake for some time, do come in,” Mipha’s voice calls back.

Urbosa takes the turn around the glowing wall and finds Mipha sitting properly at her desk, her old diary displayed out in front of her.

“You must have read that a thousand times by now. What could you possibly be getting out of it?” Urbosa asks, coming up behind the princess. She hunches over Mipha’s chair and tries to read some of the print. However, Mipha quickly shuts the diary as she always does when Urbosa tries to snoop out her old dirt.

“I was looking for older speculation on the inner workings of the Divine Beast. All I found though were locations of old shrines I had to personally accomplish before becoming the true Champion of Vah Ruta. I’m not sure of how much import those have now.” Mipha shoves the old book into a drawer of the desk before turning in the chair to look up at Urbosa.

“Do you think you will have to do the shrines over again to regain control of your Beast?” Urbosa asks, a crease between her brows.

Mipha sighs, “I haven’t a clue. It will be the first place I look in any case.”

“You will need the Sheikah Slate then.”

“Perhaps…”

Urbosa frowns and turns so that she can sit on the desk in front of Mipha. Mipha backs her chair away to give Urbosa some space. Urbosa sighs, “What if I were to say I were in need of the Slate myself.”

“Well what use could you have for it?” Mipha asks, surprised. She thinks for a moment and then her eyes narrow. “You are taking Link with Revali. You need him to go to Kakariko.”

“I don’t _need_ him. He wants to come and listen to Lady Impa’s plan. We agreed to last night.”

Mipha looks up at Urbosa, and then looks away. She doesn’t seem happy, but she doesn’t want to put up a fight either. “Okay,” she says eventually, slowly, “I can’ really prevent you from doing what you want to do. Though I must admit, it makes me sad to hear that you will all be leaving me to my devices. Alone.”

Urbosa leans over to put a hand on Mipha’s shoulder. “We will not leave for long, I promise. If Revali did not find it important to stay away, then neither will I. Or Link,” Urbosa thinks on the shrines for a moment, and then adds, “Someone will come back with the Slate to update you and help you with whatever shrine you want to work on here. We aren’t going to just leave you to try to muscle through taming Vah Ruta on your own.”

Mipha relaxes under Urbosa’s reassurances. “Thank you, Urbosa. You really are such a good friend. I know that this is all so important, but my people…”

Urbosa squeezes Mipha’s shoulder. “Don’t give it a second thought. After all, the Divine Beasts are their own separate keys in the defeat of Ganon, as we’ve been told so far. You are doing important work here too.” Mipha smiles in relief and stands up to hug Urbosa. When they let go, Urbosa shifts off the desk. “Well we should head out. Link and Revali are waiting for us outside.”

“Oh, yes, I’ll come see you three out.” Mipha pauses as they start leaving the room, and she looks back at that chest again. That chest with that ridiculous armor in it. She already denied Link the armor before, purposefully letting him be handicapped in her kingdom… For what, pride? She could not possibly give him her healing ability while they are away. How else can she help the one she cares the most about?

“Actually, please ask Link to come in here. It will only take a moment. Are you all stocked up on arrows and food? You and Revali can go have a look at the wares in the general store while you wait up.”

Urbosa nods understandingly, and Mipha is left to wait for Link to come inside. She walks back and hunches over the old chest. Dust is layered everywhere, covering it in grim. Only her own fin prints disturb the grim and she now rubs her hands over it to clean it off better.

Quiet tapping sounds echo from the hallway. Looking up, Mipha sees Link come into her room. “Hello, Link. We should talk before you head out.” Mipha stays kneeling in front of the chest, evening go so far as to pull it out more from the wall. She rubs even more dust off of it. “Come here, would you?”

“Something for me?” Link asks, a little excited. Mipha giggles and nods her head as Link kneels next to her.

But Mipha quiets down as they stay there, time passing as she puts off actually opening the chest. Then she sighs resignedly, “I may have had my own secret that I hadn’t been telling everyone.” Link’s brow furrows. Mipha looks up at his confused face and then back down at the chest with a huffed laugh. “I was rather silly in my past life. Reading an old diary I kept, I found out something that I…would rather not have to own up to now. But I should. I should have told you already…it apparently doesn’t really matter what I say on this matter anyway.”

Link puts his hand on Mipha’s, still frowning. He squeezes her hand, and she smiles sadly up at him. “You have always been such a nice person, Link. I have admired you for so long. I even…well…” Mipha pauses and pulls her hand out of Link’s. Still confused, Link can only watch with some patience as she slowly opens up the chest. Inside, fabrics layer on top of each other. Mipha rummages through the layers and starts to pull out a beautifully preserved shirt with silver hangings decorating the piece tastefully. In several places, Link notices the Zora’s insignia.

“This is…something I’m not very proud of. This armor…” Mipha struggles with her words for a moment before taking a breath and letting it out again. “I had been planning to make a full set, but that seems out of the question now. I’m giving this to you with the implication that you will need it more than my pride needs to be protected from the action of giving it to you.”

She squeezes the fabric between her hands and Link worries that she might start crying. He reaches out to her, but she shuffles away and shakes her head. Her dolphin tail sways back and forth.

“No, it’s alright. I realize now that I was foolish, but also it would be more foolish not to give this to you.  You see, this armor will allow you to swim as a Zora does: freely. Upstream travel will be nothing to you while wearing it. Traveling to certain more remote areas will become a nonissue for you in this armor. That is why you must take it with you before you go.” Link looks like he might say something, but she shakes her head. He notices she has started to unbend the metal hinges on the decorations with a tool that she had just pulled out.

“Why are you-“

“These decorations mean a lot amongst the Zora people, but are not suitable anymore. They pronounce the wearer as betrothed to a…a member of the Zora. Once I take them all off -it will only take a little bit of time don’t worry- once I remove them you will not have to worry about the people thinking such things about you. Or for me to think such things. I understand now that that was never a possibility between us, and I respect that…”

Link watches her pull the wires, devastation rolling through him as he pieces it all together. She looks determined, if not a little sad, and she pulls off the delicate metal with ease. Chucking the bent pieces onto the floor beside her.

She sighs, “I am so sorry for putting this on you. So last minute too. I had only hoped that…one day we could be like we were when we were kids. And that I could see your happy face,” Mipha smiles up at him sadly then, “I wanted to see that face much more often.” She pulls a little forcefully on an insignia, flinging it. “I thought, even though your life is so short, that if I could make the best of it. Then that would be enough for me.”

“Mipha…” Link looks down as Mipha’s hands work over the metal. He wants to tell her to stop undoing all of her hard work, but knows that she won’t find peace until she does. Finally he says the only sensible thing he can come up with, “Thank you for letting me have this. It means so much to me that you would do this for me, knowing how much it hurts. Thank you.”

Mipha gives a small smile, “You don’t know how happy that makes me, Link…” Now truly, tears start to well in her eyes and Link can’t stop himself from coming over to her to give her a hug. “I’m sorry I was too prideful to give it to you before Vah Ruta. I had no idea…” Link shushes her, petting her head.

“We are all regretting not saying more, Mipha. I understand. And whoever you actually end up giving all that silver to, they will understand even better than I do,” Link assures. Mipha pulls back, rubbing away her tears, face red. She nods and starts pulling more of the finery off of the armor.

Together they sit on the floor, waiting for all of the betrothal silver to fall away. What is left is only the silver forearm guards, the pair of pauldrons, gloves, and skin-tight shirt. Mipha holds up the long chain was left at the bottom of the chest. And then she places it amongst the cluttered silver by her side.

“This should fit you exactly,” Mipha states, handing over each piece of clothing over to Link, “I took your measurements during one of your visits here, way back when everything was…well before.” Link smiles sadly, and stores the armor carefully away.

They take their time walking back down to the Domain, and when they finally arrive at the shrine, they see Urbosa and Revali sitting casually beside each other. “Are you ready, yet?” Revali asks impatiently. Link nods and turns to give Mipha a surprise hug, which is taken with a lot more stiffness than the one in her room. When he pulls back, he smiles at her and she looks away with a small smile of her own. Urbosa also comes to give Mipha her own hug. Mipha is only saved when finally the two huggers pull away and Revali offers only a waved wing in goodbye. Then Link and Urbosa gather around Revali. Link pulls out the Sheikah Slate and the three of them all teleport out of the Domain.

Mipha looks up at the sky and takes in the rich blue above. She’s on her own for now, but hopefully they’ll come back soon. She already misses them dearly.

Up on the hill over-looking Kakariko Village, Urbosa lets out her breath in relief. She has found that not much gets to her, but teleportation was going to take some getting used to. The party walks down the path to the village, the sun still hanging high in the sky. They are greeted warmly by the Lady’s guards and allowed entrance now with no problems.

Impa smiles as she greets them from her seat. The young girl from before is also here, standing diligently to the side. Revali, Urbosa, and Link form a line in front of the matriarch. She looks between Revali and the other two, but does not seem inclined to broach that particular topic.

“Your ladyship,” Urbosa speaks, “Link and I, we are ready to hear Princess Zelda’s message. We are ready to give our lives for her cause.”

Lady Impa nods, “Nobly put, Champion Urbosa. Link, do you truly seek this knowledge as well?” Link nods and Lady Impa continues with little hesitance, “I could not be happier. Her words were…and I quote directly: ‘Free the Divine Beasts.’”

Urbosa’s jaw stiffens and Link’s shoulders slump.

“…that is all?” Urbosa asks tersely. “No further instruction? No guide to help us as we progress without our memory?”

Lady Impa shakes her head sadly, “That was her one and only message, to be relayed to you upon you compliance to save the kingdom. However, any other direction can be given freely by myself and our directors’ of research.”

“Directors?” Revali asks with a puzzled voice, “You never spoke of them before.”

“Must have slipped my mind,” Lady Impa says with a small grin. “If you are looking for lost memories, I would suggest for you to take a small detour to the village of Hateno. The head director resides there. She has some…tinkering she will want to perform on your Sheikah Slate.”

Urbosa nods and says, “We should also probably mention that we have already banished Ganon from one of the Divine Beasts, Vah Ruta in Lanayru.”

“Revali, you did not prod the others did you?”

“Of course not-“

Urbosa speaks over Revali, “Upon our arrival to Zora’s Domain, we were informed that the Beast had been flooding the area with heavy rain for weeks. There was not much choice, we had to save the Zora people as well as the reservoirs. The damages would have been extensive.”

“I see. Is this why Princess Mipha had not returned with you?”

“Yes, she remains in the Domain in the hopes to retame the Beast. I was wondering if you may have some information on how to do such a task.”

Lady Impa frowns, “I would not know about such details. The head director may though. If worst comes to worst, you may find the information you are looking for in Princess Zelda’s study, in Hyrule Castle.”

“Hopefully, we do not come to those desperate measures,” Revali mutters thoughtfully.

“For now,” Lady Impa continues, “Please focus on talking with the head director. Return to me once you have had your Slate upgraded. There will be more for us to discuss then.”

Link raises his eyebrows. The party bows out of the Lady’s house and look about the village. There is now more to do than ever before.

Revali quirks his head. “How do you think Daruk is favoring?”

“Are you thinking we should give him a visit as well?” Urbosa asks thoughtfully, steering the boys over to the cooking pot.

“He will need our help eventually. If he doesn’t come running after us, like I had to come after you,” Revali admits. He settles himself by the fire and starts pulling out some food to cook.

Link watches the fire, head full with everything he has learned today. Mipha, Hateno, Daruk, and who knows what more they will have to run to before everything can be saved from the constant darkness. Just looming out of the corner of their eyes.

He smiles as the meat in the pot starts to crackle; smells that make him want to drool filling the air. One thing at a time. They’ll get through it yet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Normally I would say that this next chapter will be next tuesday....and we'll still shoot for that! Covers are going to have to be put aside, but I'll still put out updates for chapters on tumblr. (same name) sorry for that crazy hiatus ^^"""


	11. Dueling Peaks

Revali lands some meters behind the Dueling Peaks stable. Way up on the trail, Urbosa and Link share an uncomfortably small saddle in hopes of not wasting too much time. Link said not to go do anything too reckless, only said because he knows Revali’s nature so well. As Revali hunts down a herd of horses, he knows he should probably listen to the little gremlin. But wouldn’t it be nice to prove him wrong?

Decked out in a full set of stealthy Sheikah attire, Revali is feeling more confident in his skills than ever. He spots his targets off in the distance and he slinks on through the grass. He aligns himself to quietly follow a grey stallion, flanked by two spotted mares. Revali’s skill is beyond reproach. He will tame that stallion.

The two mares pull a little farther ahead of Revali’s target. His chance has come.

Still quiet, Revali sneaks as close to the stallion’s rear as he feels safe to do so. Then, he jumps. The horse only reacts when Revali’s thighs first graze his sides, but all-mighty Goddess, does he react. The bucking starts instantly upon contact, causing the mares to run on instinct. Insistent, Revali grabs onto the mane of the horse and holds tight. His thighs shake as he tries to keep himself saddled. Revali feels the instant regret when one of his talons graze the horse’s skin. The horse bucks even harder, unrelenting. His thighs give, and Revali has to let go of the mane or be flung off instead. He manages to roll off, unharmed.

Legs still shaking, Revali leans up to watch his horse run back to the safety of his small herd. He sighs and pulls out a little skewer of stamella shrooms he had saved. His legs slowly relax as he eats the skewer. Well, on to the next target.

Revali scouts out the field once more, even bothering to remove a Bokoblin camp to ensure that the monsters stay out of his path. As he gathers the monster materials, he eyes another herd nearby. He nabs the contents of the chest and then huddles down into the grass for coverage.

A pure white mare is eating the grass with a pair of her spotted sisters. Revali moves in closer. He can hear their nosey chewing and still he waits for the closer spotted horse to move so that he can have a clear visual of the pure white one. His new target.

He jumps for the horse and his wings fly for the mane. The horse starts her bucking. Careful from last time, Revali turns his heels so that he doesn’t puncture the horse. The angle is hard on his shins, and his thighs have even less to grab on this way than it had on the last horse. They soon give and Revali is again thrown.

The horses run again, and all Revali can do is stare grumpily while rubbing his aching back. The next one would be it.

Urbosa looks down contently at the small Hylian between her arms. Normally, Urbosa would consider being this close to Link a displeasure, but he actually smells pleasant for once. She almost wants to lean her head down on what looks to be soft and clean hair, but perhaps that would be a bit too much. Even for her.

Their stay in Kakariko had been a brief couple of days. They laundered their dirty clothes, traded goods, and had some easy practice at the shrine again. A productive, but easy couple of days. Just what they needed before what could be days of hard travel. The villagers had even been kind enough to watch out for Link’s horse after they had all left. No detail was left unaccounted for.

Link leans his head up at her and Urbosa looks up as well. No Revali in the skies. That damn bird took off with ridiculous speed, like it was a race.

Link sighs, tilting his head back to rest against her, “He’s scaring the horses behind the stable.”

“You think?” Urbosa laughs, remembering the innocent breakfast they all shared while watching Revali’s first attempts. “He is bullheaded enough, I’ll give you that.”

“Yeah…”

“I’m sure he’s fine,” Urbosa says, patting Link’s head.

When the pair trot across the bridge, Link’s eyes search the field ahead of them. No where could he find that telltale yellow beak. As they approach the stable, though, a couple of men are gathered in the shade. They watch the fields eagerly.

Urbosa pulls the horse towards the men. “Have any of you seen a Rito come through this area?”

One of the men, the man who challenged Link to a horse catching competition, answers, “Sure have. He’s out there now, making the horses buck. Not unlike last time you folks came through.”

Urbosa laughs as she waits for Link to finish dismounting. Link surveys the field then, while Urbosa takes the horse over to the other side for water and grain.

“You’re the boy that beat my record. Never seen a better rider,” The man states, catching the other men’s interest. They look to Link curiously before their attention is all caught by a loud horse cry. Link finds their missing companion out on the back of a wild mare, trying fruitlessly for another taming experience.

Link is almost impressed with the precision the Rito flings himself when he apparently is not able to follow through on the original attempt. With an amused huff, Link jogs out into the field to check up on his friend.

His vision blurred, Revali tries to catch his bearings after his latest fall. His thighs ache truly through and through. His whole spine is sore. And worse, his stomach is so full, Revali doubts he could eat anymore stamina food to get back up again. That of course would imply that he still had any of that food left to eat.

When Link comes to hover over his laid out form, Revali has to squint his eyes before he could make out who is above him. With something to focus on, Revali stares at Link for a moment. Sun crowns around Link’s golden hair, making it seem like the wild child has a halo around his head. He smiles gently down at Revali, probably over some internal snark about Revali’s foolishness. Revali groans.

Now concerned, Link kneels down and offers Revali a hand in sitting up. He points at Revali and then makes a crude ok symbol with his free hand. The hand that he had offered Revali rests now on the Rito’s elbow. Revali nods before squeezing his eyes shut a couple of times. The world starts to come back into better focus.

From the stable, Urbosa watches from their horse’s side with a smile across her face. She asks if it is okay with the stable girl if she leaves Apple there and then moves out to the field. As she approaches the pair, she can hear Link ask, “Are you still trying to beat my record?”

Urbosa stands back some, waiting for a good chance to jump into the conversation.

“I _would_ be, but if I can’t even get the basics down then what would be the point of such a goal?”

Link hesitates before he offers, “I could tell you how to get better.”

Revali turns his head towards Link fully, “Would you?”

“Why don’t you teach both of us then,” Urbosa pops in, having been caught by Revali when his head looked her way.

Link jumps, coaxing a small smile from Revali.

“Do you also want to beat his record then?” Revali smirks up at Urbosa, making her laugh.

“No, but another horse, one of my own, would be nice for the travel to Hateno. I have a feeling it isn’t as close as Lady Impa made it out to be.”

Link considers that before nodding determinedly at Urbosa.

Urbosa kneels down by her boys and she and Revali wait patiently for Link’s instruction. Link looks between the pair before huffing and looking up at the sky. He thinks of what all goes into surprising a horse. What the horses’ personalities were like, and how that played into the general game of taming them. And then finally, he considered the stamina it takes, though he thinks that is the least of their concerns. Though, surprisingly, that part is where Revali seems to hiccup at.

Faltering in that thought, Link considers Revali’s anatomy in all this. He winces when he sees the dried blood on the back talons. And he makes it a point to point at the blood before considering anything else that they might need to know.

Revali also winces when Link points it out. “Yes that is from the first attempt. I’ve been able to get on every time, but I cannot keep a hold of their back without digging my heel into the beast. Which is why I _accidentally_ …well stabbed one.”

Link frowns. It could be that Revali could be doing this easily if not for this handicap.

“Why don’t we wrap your talons in thick cloth?” Urbosa suggests, already pulling out the materials from her storage.

“I’m not sure what else we could do, honestly,” Revali agrees in his own way. Link smiles as he watches Revali sit back, content to let Urbosa help whatever way she wants to.

Link leans casually, thinking over his list once more. As Urbosa works, Link counts out his horse-catching tips: “One: horses have great hearing. Even when out of sight, you must be quiet. Make sure you have no weapons out. They will clang about.

Two: do not come into eyesight of the horse. They will run on sight, even if you have stealth-boosts. Though stealth-boosts do help, if you keep to their rear. Where you are supposed to be.

Three: jump the horse from behind. If the horse sees you attempting this, it will kick you. Be careful. Don’t get caught.”

Urbosa laughs, “What a tip.”

Link gives a good-natured shrug before continuing, “Four: stamina is important. Once you have jumped onto the horse’s back, it will buck. All horses are different, put up different lengths of a fight. Some will be easy, some could be very very hard. Know your limits.

Five: there are two types of horses. One kind are mild horses, they have spots. Apple is a mild horse and she was relatively easy to catch compared to a wild horse. Wild horses don’t have spots. They are usually coupled with two or more mild horses that will use the wild horse as their own lead.” Revali’s eyes widen, and Link nods his understanding as he continues down the list. Revali frowns and looks away.

“Six: make sure to give your horse lots of pets. And definitely give them apples when you continue breaking them after the first battle. The first is not the last. You need to build trust with your horse. Trusting horses make the best steads.”

Link considers his internal list again before nodding, “And that’s it, really.”

“Sounds easy enough,” Urbosa speaks up, still wrapping cloth around Revali’s second talon. “Is there a way to tell which horse is the strongest or fastest? Since you can tell their manners from spot pattern.”

Link shakes his head, “That’s a little harder. Though stables give a ranking of your horse when they take them in. They have a good eye for that.”

Urbosa nods and pats Revali’s knee, having finished wrapping his talons up. “Don’t go sticking anymore horses now. I’ll go to the far side of the field. You’ll stay out of my way there.” She winks before she walks off. Link smiles as he watches Revali stare daggers into her back.

“Like she’ll do so good on her first try,” Revali mutters.

Link stands up and watches Urbosa as she walks towards her potential herd. As Revali tries to get up, his legs falter, and Link is only just able to grab his wings before Revali can take the heavy fall back down. As is, all Link can do for the large bird is to ease him back down.

“Ugh, my legs are still too weak…” Revali again mutters, as if just to himself. Concerned, Link digs through his storage, looking for a cooked staminoka bass. When he pulls it out, though, Revali feigns puking in his wing tips. Link frowns, but puts the bass away anyway. “I ate so much already trying to do this before you got here… An apparent short-sight on my half.”

Link smiles, not really understanding the problem, but hey. Some people don’t have hollow legs or hollow arms, like he does.

Revali turns towards the way Urbosa had gone. From here it is hard to see her; she had even gone the length to hide her red hair from sight. She sidles up to a mild black horse, and then takes the leap.

“Think she can do it?” Revali asks, almost completely free of his aloof attitude. Link nods. In no time, Urbosa is leaning over a calm horse, giving it plenty of petting. “Looks a little small under her,” Revali says reproachfully.

Link rolls his eyes and fires back, “Jealous.”

Taken aback, Revali gawps, “I would _never-_ “ Link uses his hand to show the clapping of a mouth opening and closing. “Why you! You brat!” Revali leans over, intent of smacking his wing into Link, but Link rolls out of the way. He gets up quickly. “Hey, get back here!” Link puts up his hands by his head and sticks his tongue out wide. “Oh, real mature, you little monster!”

“We don’t have all day, Revali. Either go catch a mild horse, or fly along with us. We shouldn’t hang out in this field forever,” Urbosa scolds Revali, her new horse trotting up around them.

Revali glares over at Link, who straightened up as soon as Urbosa came close. “My legs are still too weak to get up again.”

Urbosa’s eyes narrow and a familiar pain rises in the middle of her forehead.

_“I can’t do this anymore, Chief. My arms are too weak from yesterday still!” A young soldier whined, spear in hand. Urbosa looked in front of her in disgust, her soldiers all sweating in front of their training dummies. This soldier, however, was slacking off when no one else was taking the luxury. Who was she to think she could stop when no one else could?_

_“You will continue your reps, soldier! You will continue them and add fifty more or you will have more to worry about than just_ weak _arms!”_

_The girl looked like she would pull away from the dummy, and Urbosa worried for a moment she would have to let go a soldier. But then she gripped her spear with more conviction and continued her reps, a grim frown set solidly across her features. Urbosa was sure she must be internally swearing her out and that was okay. As long as she did her reps._

_A tinkling laugh echoed off of the palace walls and Urbosa turned readily to the source. Coming through the ground doorway, a tiny girl with an oversized ponytail came barreling into the training room. “Koriga!” The little girl jumped, already looking around the room for places to hide from her aunt._

_“I have told you that you cannot be in here when the soldiers are practicing! Now I will have a naughty little girl to punish, on top of all my_ naughty _soldiers!” Urbosa side-eyed her disobedient soldier, who visibly tensed under her Chief’s glare._

_“I’m just playing, I’m just playing!” The little girl cried, running past her aunt with a wide smile on her face._

_“Oh, I know you are just playing. But this is a work place, little Riju!” Koriga giggled as Urbosa came charging after her. “You don’t want to get hurt now!”_

_“No, no, no, no, no-“ Koriga cried, running around and behind the legs of Rima, Captain of Gerudo City’s guard._

_“Now, Riju, you cannot be running around in here,” Rima said, smiling down at the little girl’s antics._

_“But I haven’t seen Auntie Bobo and Auntie Rima in foreveeeer,” Koriga cried again, her high pitched voice making the soldiers around them wince._

_“I’ve told you before, call me Auntie Urbosa! Ur-bo-_ sa _!” Koriga giggled again, still huddled behind Rima’s pants. Urbosa leaned down, ready to have a standoff with the punk. However, Rima bent down swiftly, pulling the small girl up into her arms._

_“How is our favorite jewel, hm? Been a good girl for your mother while on your trip?” Rima asked, coaxing little giggles from Koriga with quick fingers. Urbosa straightened up, at a little more ease now that Koriga was wrangled._

_“Yeah!”_

_“And a bad little girl for your daddy?” Urbosa prodded, shifting her weight to her hip._

_Koriga looked like she’d answer positively again, but stops with an impatient, “Hey!”_

_“Haha, I only tease, little Riju. We all know you are Daddy’s little girl. Gerudo cries because it knows it will never get the same amount of love from you as your father does.”_

_“No, no, I love you_ just _as much-“_

_“And only just as much?” Urbosa asks, making her best pitiful face._

_“But-but-but that is_ so much _!”_

_Rima then pouted, “What about me, little Riju? Do you love me as much as them?”_

_“Yes, I love you all soooo much. I love_ all _of Gerudo soooooooooooooo MUUUUCCCCHHH!” The little girl yelled, making all of the soldiers giggle and laugh._

_Urbosa smiled. She should really order them to stiffen up, but what kind of leader would she be to restrict them under the influence of so much love and cuteness? It would surely be inhumane to even suggest it._

_“And soldiers, do you love Koriga Riju back?” Urbosa asked her guard._

_The soldiers all turned, at attention in an instant, “Chief, yes, Chief!”_

Urbosa blinks back to the field, stiffening in her seat in her saddle.

“That looked like a happy memory,” Revali says, still laying out on the ground. Urbosa looks around for Link, who is walking back with Apple’s reins in hand. “Don’t worry, we won’t be wasting anymore time. I’ll be riding with Link.” Urbosa arches an eyebrows at him. He breaks immediately. “I’m too weak to walk any distance, let alone fly. Link is to make sure I don’t fall from the saddle…and if I do fall off for any reason, he will be held accountable. It’s a win-win really.”

“A poor excuse, but whatever gets us moving I suppose.”

“What do you mean ‘poor excuse’?!”

Link approaches within hearing range, so Urbosa settles to give the Rito a knowing look. He looks back befuddled, but schools his features when it’s obvious that Link plans to pull him into the saddle as soon as possible.

“How do you plan to big spoon him, Link? Do you have some other master techniques to show us?” Urbosa teases as she watches as Link pulls Revali up to his feet. Link gives her a mischievous smile with a finger over his mouth and Urbosa is content with that as she watches the idiots flounder over each other. They flounder for a little bit longer, and then Urbosa groans, getting down from her mount. “I have to do everything around here, don’t I?”

With a person on either side of Revali, they have a much easier time of pulling Revali’s talons into the stirrups. Once Revali is hoisted into the saddle, Urbosa takes a moment to fiddle with her handwork, still wrapped around Revali’s back talons. He looks down at her in annoyance to which she just smiles and gets back to her own horse.

After Urbosa starts ahead, already heading for the path to Hateno, Revali looks down at Link. “How _do_ you plan on keeping me up here? Won’t it be hard to see from behind me as well?”

Link smiles with a shrug. With ease, he pulls himself up behind the saddle. Revali’s tail feathers provide an interesting obstacle to maneuver around, but once they are pushed off to the side they stay out of the way. Link then grabs the front of the saddle by wrapping his arms on either side of Revali. He mutters something into Revali’s feathers, but Revali can’t hear.

“What is that? You’ll have to be clearer.”

Link pulls his head back, almost painfully to be heard over the Rito’s tall back, “Now grab the reins. You lead and I’ll nudge her along.”

Revali looks down at the reins, concentrating on how he saw Link wrangle them before. He pulls back on one side and then the other. Link gives the horse a gentle prod into her sides, and Revali sits up straighter as she starts to move forward. Already he can feel Link’s elbows digging into his hips.

“Can’t you be gentler? You’re digging into me, if you hadn’t noticed.”  

In response, Link nudges the horse again, taking the horse out of her walking pace and into a trot. Revali feels how his body wants to bounce now and he gets the point quick enough. He is a sack of potatoes for as long as his legs won’t cooperation, so he is going to be treated like on. Fair enough.

Urbosa rounds her horse back around to see how far the boys have come. She’s already at the Fort’s wall and she glares back at their slow progress. “Move it already!”  

“It isn’t so easy for those of us who have to share a horse!” Revali squawks back, indignant.

Urbosa rolls her eyes. “Me and Link did just fine. It’s just you, loud-beak.”

Link smiles at her friendly-like when they finally pull up to her horse. Her and Revali still bickering all the while. She gives him a sympathetic look, but still goads Revali with every jab. It’s a long trail to be anti-social on.

As the day grows longer, they continue their ride and eat in the saddle whenever they get hungry. It continues at this pace late into day and the Hateno tower comes into view in the early afternoon. The Y in the road leads straight up to the tower, but monsters litter the whole way up. Urbosa reaches over to pull back on the boys’ reins and Link blinks at first not understanding why. Then he reassesses the weight in his arms, not having heard from Revali in a long while. Black bird must have gone to sleep along the way. 

Urbosa’s eyes flit back up to the tower and then back to Link. “Well, what do you want to do? I’m sure you’re getting a bit stiff by now, but we have a couple options we could carry through.”

Link thinks it over, considering the huge lump on a log in front of him. Waking Revali would probably be for the best, but Revali could use his rest after exerting himself so much already. Let alone his own body, which grows stiffer every moment from making sure that Revali doesn’t fall out. Climbing that tower will be a challenge and a half on a day like this.

“I could do the tower while you two continue on to Hateno. It’ll be safer for you two to rest there the night and you’ll only be a liability while you are both so out of form,” Urbosa comments. Link frowns up at her, not too sure about that. “Just give me the Sheikah Slate and the paraglider. It’ll be quick work and I might even get into Hateno just later into the night than you two.”

“What if there are stronger monsters there? A lynel could be deadly,” Link questions.

Urbosa’s horse, restless, turns in a circle while they continue talking. “I’ll avoid them. You shouldn’t worry about me, little Hylian, I can take care of myself just fine.”

Link grimaces, thinking over how he had thought similarly back in Vah Ruta. “It’s risky. Let us come with.”

“What, so that you two can play decoy? Uselessly still in front of a charging foe? I don’t think so.”

Link lets out a loud groan, lightly smacking his head on Revali’s back. Revali gives a sleepy moan before his head rolls back onto his chest again.

“Do you not trust me, Link?” Link searches Urbosa’s stern face and then sighs as he gives in to her relentlessness. He nods in defeat, then grabs at the Slate and paraglider at his hip. Urbosa gives a small smile as he hands them over, “Thank you. I’ll see you two again soon.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

Urbosa takes up the path then, bow already out and ready for the next monster. Link frowns as he watches her go. Now he has to depend on the horse to follow the path into town. What a bother.

He nudges Apple into her trot again. Trying not to hurt his neck from looking at the side of the road too much, Link leans his forehead on the Rito in front of him. So soft and fluffy. Link gives a squeeze and smiles as he watches the feathers flex up and then smooth back down again. At least he has a stuffy to squeeze when times get tough. Link huffs a little laugh.

Maybe he should be more worried about his own safety, traveling as half of a pair of dead weights on a very vulnerable perch. He just can’t get in himself to care about that. Urbosa will be fine. And Revali is sleeping peacefully…

Letting himself a moment of weakness, Link thinks about the memory of drinking with Revali. For a buzzed birdy, Revali did certainly carry a tune well enough. How did things get into that line of conversation anyway, he wonders. Thinking about it more, he laughs again. He really was a heartbreaker. Poor Mipha. Link’s mood sinks as soon as it rose. This is all too complicated. How does he even have time to think about this stuff? He has a kingdom to save!

Link groans, knocking his head into Revali’s back some more. Link’s feelings don’t matter in any of this! He doesn’t have time to wonder about who his perfect match is with when everything is falling to pieces around them! There can be no happily ever after if there isn’t an ending first. And who knows how the ending will go! He could end up dying all the same, just for someone else to pick up his blade and finish the job he never could…

What was he thinking? He didn’t have to do this. Link puffs his cheeks as he turns to look at the forestry passing by. A boar perked at attention runs when it sees them go by. The sword would accept only the Hero of Legend as its wielder. Was it really the only weapon against Ganon? What if there was another way? Some way he could get out of all this. Live for whatever peace there could still be in his lifetime…

With bleary eyes, Revali squints as he reopens his eyes. Apparently he had fallen asleep along the way, but he tries not to let that scare him. After all, they had made progress either way. Link’s arms remain dug into his sides securely. Revali winces internally thinking about how tender those sides will be after they dismount.

Carefully, Revali tests his legs. They remain sore beyond belief, but he makes the effort to sit up straighter anyway. At some point, he had taken to leaning fully into the Hylian behind him. That couldn’t have been very comfortable, but if Link isn’t going to complain then there is nothing to apologize for. Link’s arms give him a small squeeze. He must have been left to sleep, even after being found out.

“You can stay up?” Link asks, trying to keep his mouth out of Revali’s back.

Revali squeezes the horse with his legs and winces. It will be hard… He pulls back on the reins to make the horse slow down, and they fall back into a slower trot. He pats at Link’s hands, fisted in the leather of the saddle. “Okay, I should be fine if you want to stretch your arms.”

Relief floods Link and he lets go happily. His arms feel like lead, prickling from shoulder blade to fingertip.

“How long did you let me sleep? You didn’t have to do that, you know.”

Link looks up at the sky contemplating. The sun had just started to come down from its peak when they passed the tower. In the forest, though, it is hard to tell just how far down it is now. However, a clearing approaches up ahead and Revali gets his first eyeful of Hateno Village. His breath catches as he stares in amazement. The people thrive. Link only sees the mountains, shadowing the setting suns light from their eyes. It must be getting around seven or eight at night.

“It’s been at least three hours.”

“Should we dismount up by the gates?” Revali calls back to Link.

Link sits up straighter. “We’re here already?”

Revali chuckles, “Yes. It’s like it took no time at all.” Link gives Revali’s back a dubious look as they slowly walk the rest of the way to the gate. “How should we-?”

Link slides off Apple easily, falling down to a crouch on the ground when he lands.

“Travelers?” A man in farmer’s garb asks, he holds a post in the middle of the archway in the road. “Haven’t had new faces around here in a long time now.” Link nods understandingly, stretching his limbs out. The guard looks between Link and Revali, probably finding a horse-ridding Rito a little out of his depth.

“Is there an inn in town?” Revali asks, still perched up in the saddle. Link offers him a hand down, but he shakes his head.

“Course. You can find it out towards the end of the road before the bridge. Can’t miss it.”  

Not feeling like arguing with Revali, Link takes the reins and leads Apple into town with Revali still in the saddle. The adults that are still out turn when they hear the hooves. They stare when they see the Rito, being lead into town like an unruly child. Or guarded like royalty. Link and Revali find a small shelter in front of the inn, which a kid tells them they can put their horse in. No charge.

The kid even helps Link dismount Revali, not without a fair share of feather ruffling though. Sweaty and road-worn, Link and Revali lean on each other as they go up the steps to the inn.

Leaning down to Link’s level, Revali asks, “Where is Urbosa anyway? Did we leave her for dead?” He’s only teases, but Link frowns up at him. It was only a joke.

“At the tower. She’ll be down later.”

Not hungry, the two Champions settle into their beds. Revali groans as he lays down on the bed, hay sticking into him and bending his feathers. Link laughs as he lays down much easier into his bed next to Revali’s.

“It’s what you get for chasing horses.”

“Shut it, drumstick. I should blame you for not teaching me the thing about the spots sooner. It is only from the greatest courtesy that rests in my heart that I do not do just that. I am a fair and forgiving Champion.” Link waves his hand dismissively, making Revali huff. “See how you are.”

Link rolls on his side, looking at his dilapidated friend. Having thought it more, he isn’t sure why he feels like telling this to Revali. But it just feels right. “You were right about one thing, though.”

“And what’s that?” Revali asks, tilting his beak Link’s way.

“In the memory of us I had. You said I’m the women’s number one heartbreaker.”

“I think you are stretching that a little. Last I remembered, I was number one in all things: heartbreaking included. I’d realistically rank you as a five. At best.”

Link smiles, “Five isn’t too bad.”

Revali sighs, “What is your point with all this?”

Blushing, Link forces himself to keep talking. “Well, I guess I sort of broke Mipha’s heart especially. At least, she said she had liked me before the resurrection.”

Revali raises his head in surprise, meeting Link’s embarrassed face. His eyebrows raise considerably. “Do tell, how bad were the damages?” A thought strikes Revali and he wants to smack himself for being so blind. “That was why she was so upset, even after defeating Vah Ruta’s monster. It was you.” A shocked expression takes over Link’s face and Revali watches in amusement as Link slinks further into embarrassment. Revali laughs, “You sly little devil.”

“I didn’t know!” Link exclaims, earning the disgruntled look of another traveler in a bed farther down the rows. Link covers his face in shame.

Revali decides to take pity on the boy. “Are you two on good terms now, at least? Wouldn’t do to keep animosity between us all,” Revali then chuckles softly, “What if she decided not to resurrect you again?”

Link rolls his eyes, composing his face again. “We’re all good now. She even gave me a present before we left.”

Revali slumps back into his bed. “That’s nice… What is it?”

“Zora armor. Let’s me swim up rivers and waterfalls.”

Revali gives a laugh, “Would’ve been useful earlier.”

“She felt bad for not giving me. It’s just a really…special piece.”

“Wow, chickling,” Revali turns to Link again, “She must have had it bad, huh?”

“Yeah,” Link sighs, folding his arms behind his head. “I’m glad it’s over. For her.”

Revali frowns, watching Link drowsily close his eyes. Comfortable in the safety of the inn. Mipha had some guts to fall for the Hero of Legend. It’s a pretty lofty goal. Revali wonders how many others share such a similar crush on his hapless friend? Revali considers the boy, his golden hair and tired frame. He had already come to the conclusion that Link was attractive in his own way some time ago. But a crush?

Revali can’t decide if Mipha was looking below her status or if Link is just that far out of anyone’s league.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So we continue with a chapter filled with field frolicking and cute kids squealing :3 Koriga is such a little doll, keeping her out of Urbosa's own memories seems like a shame. And I think we all deserve some healthy fluff after all the Zora damages haha 
> 
> Also! Rima, captain of the guard, is an actual character in game! You can find her resting as an old woman on the road in front of the bar in Gerudo Town, I believe. It isn't explicitly stated that Rima is THAT OLD, but she is a retired captain so it felt right to include her anyway.   
> I love writing backstory for Urbosa especially, so I'm sorry if it ever gets to be a bit much.   
> I could put more of the champions memories in side-along fics, but I want to see how many memories they get in this fic before writing little ficlets like that. 
> 
> Anyway, hope you all liked the update! I'll see you next week <3


	12. Hateno

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look at the bottom for an important vote related to what will happen next chapter!!

Light brakes through the cracks in the inn’s curtains, waking Link much earlier than warranted. Link groans and rolls his pillow over his head in a small hope of going back to sleep. His mind skitters though, and his curiosity grows as he realizes that Urbosa might be here with them now! He hopes she got here safe and sound…

Link unfolds the pillow and blinks around blearily, looking for that familiar shock of red hair. The stranger from last night is still here, and Revali certainly, but… No Urbosa to be seen. An anxious feeling crawls up Link’s throat. He flops back down into his bed with a frown. Where is she? Several what-ifs cross Link’s mind and he shakes away each of them as they crop up. This is madness, there is just no way to know until they see her next!

Feeling rudely awakened and pretty grumpy, Link throws his legs over the side of his bed. Better to be active than to lay in bed with a heavy conscious. Link tries to push himself up, and succeeds with some painful difficulty. His arms hurt from the day before; the strain of holding Revali up all day had gotten the better of him. Remembering Revali’s sorry state, Link double-checks the blue bird. Revali rests soundly, light streaking across his face. You’d think a bird-person would be an early riser. Revali really did exert himself way too much yesterday.

Hungry beyond belief, Link heads down to go out to the communal pot outside. His eyes keep a look out, wondering if he’ll find their missing friend around any corner he comes to. When he comes to the pot he opens up his saved up resources. Not much in terms of ingredients, but he still has plenty of food from what he had made back in Kakariko. He’ll have to gather more soon though. Link warms up an old salted fish in the meantime.

Looking around while sitting next to his pot, Link eyes the village up and down. It’s a pretty amazing place. A spitting image of a successful civilization, even with chaos just outside its doors. The people might seem ignorantly happy, but Link appreciates how hard it must have been to build what they have now. Guards are posted, even in the inside of town. Sure a kid isn’t much, but Link is sure that boy that helped them yesterday could throw a couple Bokoblins if it came down to it. All in all, one of the safest feeling places they have found yet.

‘Safe’ of course being relative to the idea of how ‘safe’ anyone can feel with the ever looming presence resting in Hyrule Castle.

Looking down, Link makes quick work of his breakfast. He leaves the leftover grease and salt in the bowl and then starts walking down the town’s trail. For the morning on, Link spends his day exploring the town for all its worth.

Meandering through every store front, Link finally stops in front of the clothing store. A horse neigh alerts him to someone coming down the road, and when he looks up he is relieved to see Urbosa sitting up in her saddle. Not a scratch to be seen on her person.

She sees him almost instantly, smiling she makes to stop her stead and get out of her saddle. Link runs to give her a hug when she lands on the ground.

“Whoa there! Miss me much?” Urbosa musses as she reaches up to rub his dirty hair. “Augh! Look at this oily hair!” Urbosa files her fingers through hair, making it come free of the loose ponytail it was in. “You shouldn’t forget your hygiene so often soldier. There really is no excuse, have you been running through town like this?”

Link blushes, protectively pulling his hair back out of her grasps. “…isn’t that bad…” he grumbles, hair already being slicked back into a ponytail, sideburns and all.

Urbosa snorts. Her eyes scan up to the store’s sign and she makes a face. “Were you going to go in here?” Link makes a noncommittal humming sound and Urbosa smacks the top of his head. “Rude boy. Let’s all get washed up and then we can see if they’ll be kind enough to take our measurements.”

Shrugging, Link tugs Urbosa back to the inn’s stable, where she sets her stead up. When prodded about Revali’s whereabouts, Link shrugs again. Urbosa groans, “How useful can you really be if you can’t keep track of one person? Are you really supposed to be our hero?” When Link remains silent, almost pensive, Urbosa tsks and wraps an arm around Link. “I don’t really mean that. I have tons of faith in you.”

They huddle into the inn like that, sweaty and smiling. When they amble into the sleeping area, quiet as they should be, they find only Revali there. His form rising and falling in an even rhythm. Slowly, they creep up on him. Smiling coyly, Urbosa stands back as Link hovers over Revali’s helpless body.

Quickly, Link grabs Revali by the shoulders and shouts. Revali sits up in a start, his wings looking to make contact. He clotheslines Link, making Link gasp as he falls back. “What’s going on? What was that?” He asks, wildly looking around until he spots Urbosa: chill as can be on his side table. Then he looks down to see Link precariously perched on the end of his bed. The Hylian’s hands rub at his sore throat. “Oh. Oh, very funny you two.”

“I thought it was,” Urbosa chuckles, “Considering you slept half the day away, it’s what you get.”

“Is it though?” Revali counters grumpily. Though he does accept that waking up this late is going to wreck his sleep schedule. He cranes his head to the side, only stopping after a satisfying crack sounds. A small smirk curls on his face when it makes Urbosa flinch. And by flinch: he just notices one finger curl into her fist a little tighter. Keen eyes see all.

Link makes a hand-grabby motion at Urbosa then. Frowning, Urbosa says, “I’m working on my sign, but please don’t resort to childish mimicry just because we are not all up to spend on our sign language.” Link looks up to frown at her and lets out long sigh.

“It isn’t mimicry if he actually is just an oversized child,” Revali teases, lifting his sheets up so that he can crawl out of bed. Link makes a sign his way that is decidedly not child-friendly.

“Was this what you wanted, pup?” Urbosa asks. The Sheikah Slate is held in her hand. Link sits up straighter, retracting his hands politely into his lap. He nods and then thinks before he signs a little ‘please’, since Urbosa still isn’t just giving it to him. She gives him thumbs up before handing the Slate over. Link smiles widely up at Urbosa for a moment before activating the Slate so that he could see the new map update.

Revali has his bathing stuff in his wings and gives Urbosa a wave before heading out to find some place to wash at. He walks with a slight limp. Urbosa shakes her head as she watches him go.

“Great, now he is going to hog the bathing tub like some kind of bird pool. Can you imagine?” Urbosa complains as she falls down into Revali’s bed. “I’m so covered in grim. I don’t need to wash up in his muddy water.”

Link doesn’t comment. His eyes trace over the areas they have unlocked already. The Great Plateau, Dueling Peaks, Lanayru, and Hateno. There is still so much of Hyrule to explore. The land is endless. How far will they have to go for their next Divine Beast? Surely they will have to go find Daruk first, since he is the only one that is completely out of the loop at the moment…

“Did you find out where the Research Lab is at?” Urbosa asks absently, looking up at the ceiling.

Link looks over at her and frowns. She looks to him and he shakes his head.

A disappointed face slips past before Urbosa shrugs and looks away. Link settles a little deeper into his spot, feeling a little scolded just for not fulfilling one task she thought he _might have_ completed. Why did that feel so bad?

“It’s fine, we still should go to the clothing store anyway. We match terribly and it’s been irking me the whole trip over here,” Urbosa admits. She pulls down at her tunic and groans, “Pink really isn’t my color either.”

The remark earns a little huff out of the Hylian, making Urbosa smile in kind.

“There’s a dye shop in town,” Link tells her. His nose is, of course, still buried in the secrets the Slate tells. Currently he pokes his way through the Mount Lanayru, finding the strange shapes in the north of Hateno pretty interesting. If only they had time to explore the whole land... But Princess Zelda probably wouldn’t like that.

“A dye shop? That’s an interesting possibility,” Urbosa replies, still looking down at her clothes. “I should probably change into my skirt anyway. Get this shabby thing washed and maybe I’ll consider going over there too.”

Link squints at the map and finds a small pool of water in what is seemingly on the fringes of Hateno Village’s south-western border. From memory, the place is probably up by that shrine he saw when coming into town.

“Okay!” Urbosa says, swinging up out of the bed, “I’m going to go ask if they have more than one tub. Do you want me to get you one if they have more than two?”

He shrugs before holding up the Slate, having still been zoomed in on the little lake on the map.

“Where’s this?” Urbosa asks right before taking the Slate and zooming out some. “Weren’t there houses up that path? I saw a lot of them actually. Hold on,” She says, handing the Slate back, “I’ll go ask if they have any tubs before we try skinny dipping in someone’s backyard.”

Link smiles and shakes his head as she walks out the room. Still slumped on Revali’s bed, he continues to fiddle with the Slate. He adds little stickers to it to places he wants to visit, using stars for the places he wants to visit the most. After Ganon.

Not too much later, a newly cleaned Revali walks back into the room. He huffs when he sees Link splayed out on his bed, but lets it go instead so that he can grab what all he wants from his bags. Food to make and money for in town.

“You can go to the lab with Urbosa, can’t you? I want to do some running around in the village while you two are up there.” Link arches an eyebrow and looks up to make sure Revali is watching when he points up with a confused face. “What? Didn’t you ask where it is yet? I mean, I just asked the inn girl and she told me right away… You really didn’t even ask yet, did you?” Revali rolls his eyes as Link continues to look confused. “Ask yourself, I’m heading out.”

Link raises his arms in frustration as Revali turns tail and leaves the room again. Urbosa, who is out on the staircase just outside of the door, has to shuffle up against the wall to let Revali by. She walks into the room seeing Link with his arms in the air. “How did he get you mad in the minute he spent up here? He must have a talent. A singular talent.”

Link laughs and rolls his eyes before answering, “He said he knew where the lab was, but then didn’t tell me! Just left like that.” He waves his hand at the door for extra emphasis.  

Urbosa groans, “He’s a prick. Too bad we like him so much, or we could’ve ditched him long ago. Anyway, it’s further up the trail and up the little mountain. We should be able to see it well before we reach the place.”

Nodding, Link pushes the Slate into his belt’s holder for it. He goes over to his bed for his bath things while asking, “Are there enough tubs?”

“Well there are now. The inn only has two. I reserved them for us, so make sure to get down there soon. You smell.” Link looks over his shoulder to stick his tongue out at Urbosa and she waves it off before leaving the room again.

They get washed off and meet back up in front of the inn. Urbosa takes Link’s dirty garbs, saying she wants to get hers washed anyway in the river. She tells him to go check out the clothing shop in the meantime. Scope it out for her.

When Link opens the door for the shop, he isn’t sure what to expect. Displayed in front of him are a couple rows of outfits. The first row displays the same outfit that he and Urbosa had worn into town, so he bypasses it to see what is in the back. He frowns when he sees the exact same doublet that he is currently wearing on the mannequin behind the first row. It looks like if he wants anything new, it’ll have to be whatever is left in this back corner…armor?

_He was so small; the trees dwarfed him by many many meters. The shadows from the trees, his good old friends, scared him now. This isn’t the forest he remembered. There were no Korok around to lead him back. Link was completely alone with no one to turn to._

_In the distance he could hear the scary sound of people shouting. They grunted and yelled in frustration, completely unfamiliar sounds to what he was used to. He wanted his forest back._

_Link cried in the middle of the road, foreign dusty rock under his soft little feet._

_He didn’t know how long he stood there, crying helplessly. However, he startled when he heard the sound of someone talking to someone else. He had to be careful with strangers! Link took to the bramble along the road, and tried to stop his sniffling. Snot ran down his face._

_Link peered as heavy footsteps pass by his hiding place. Two big people in shiny metal passed by, one of which moved their hands in frantic motions._

_“Are you sure you didn’t see a wild animal? Boar are pretty common here. It’s easy to mistake these things from that distance,” A feminine voice chided the hand-speaker. This remark seemed only to frustrate the hand-speaker further though, as Link watched the shiny person shake his head sharply. More hand movements._

_“Okay, okay, but we have to get back to the training camp soon. So if we don’t find them right away, we go back. Understood?” The quiet shiny person nodded._

_To Link’s dismay, they stopped moving on and instead took to searching the outskirts of the path._

_“Hello?” The woman in metal called, “Are there any children here? Hello? We’re friendly and just want to help!” Shaking, Link tried to stay still as possible. He knew even at this young age that if he moved he would only attract attention to himself. “We’re with the military!” The woman continued to call. “We just want to help you!”_

_Feeling his snot droop unpleasantly close to his mouth, Link tried to resist the urge to rub at it. However, this only caused it to itch and before he can do anything about it: he sneezed._

_He instantly wanted to run, but was frozen still when large hands parted his hiding spot open. The metal mask greeted him and Link stared up at it in horror. However, one of the hands came back to push the helmet up and revealed the relieved face of a man. His face was gentle and caring, reminding Link vaguely of that of the Great Deku Tree._

_“Are you low-st leetle one?” A silly voice greeted him. Link, unsure what to do, nodded shyly. “Dooon’t worry. We will help. Come out from there.”_

Link blinks and he looks at the armor with a renewed appreciation. This was the Hyrule’s soldier uniform. No doubt, when his father first found him, this was the uniform he would wear regularly. That was just before his father’s several promotions thereafter.

“Do you like the helmet? It’s hard to get good intact pieces like that anymore,” A voice scares Link from behind. Link spins around and finds a woman with brown hair tucked back out of sight in the corner aligned with the door. “Oh, sorry if I spooked you. I don’t really know where to stand in this place…”

Link’s brow creases, but he looks back at the helmet. There were a couple of scuffs and one long scratch mark. Other than that it is in amazing shape. He takes his time, studying the piece. If he had the money he would buy the whole outfit in a heartbeat…

Revali steps out of the general store with a perky hop. His quiver full of arrows and his purse filled with rupees, he hasn’t been in a better spot during their entire travels. And that includes when he was leaving the Rito Village with all of the offerings the village gave to him.

“You look perky,” A warm voice greats him, and Revali turns towards Urbosa.

He takes a moment to look at her Resurrection outfit matched with still sopping wet hair, then replies, “Going back for a minimal look? I have to admit, it looks a little basic on you.”

“And you look like an asshole, but at least I have the decency to keep my opinions to myself,” Urbosa quips, already turning heel towards the clothing shop.

Revali follows closely after Urbosa into the clothing store. His eyes have to take a moment to adjust to the darker room, but then he takes in the line of outfits the shop has to offer… A pretty sad line up honestly. However, his eye catches on a familiar blonde ponytail. Urbosa is already taking up a position on Link’s left, so Revali maneuvers on over to Link’s right. The Hylian seems to be studying the armor with an intense interest.

Eyes darting over the pieces, Revali recognizes the Hylian insignia first. The military-grade plate that overlaps the fabric suggests that the outfit could take even more of a beating that it seems to have already.

Noticing Revali, Link comments, “I think I was wearing a uniform like this in that memory I told you about. When we were drinking together in a camp. We were part of a party that took out a Hinox.” Revali nods and studies the armor further. Link wearing something so big and heavy is almost laughable, but he tries his best to imagine it anyway.

_Link was leaned back against his log, the fire between them casting playful shadows along his face. His helmet was laid carelessly to the side. A rare smile was plastered on the Hylian’s face as he opened up to Revali. It was rare that Link would even talk to him and even after months of being Champions together, Link rarely gave him this much attention._

“I’m sorry to interrupt you folk,” A shy voice speaks up, making the group turn to a woman hiding behind them. “But if you were all considering buying your own set of armor, I will have to tell you that that is the last set we have in stock. The old blacksmith who used to fix them up died a couple of months ago…” After saying her piece, the woman shies away again.

“How unfortunate…” Urbosa comments, “Are you considering buying it then, Link?”

To Revali’s surprise, Link shakes his head. Without much more than a goodbye to the store lady, the group all heads out.

“The path looks too narrow for horses,” Link mentions absentmindedly. Revali looks up, assuming his companions are going up to the research lab now. Urbosa nods.

Revali frowns though and asks, “Hey, Link… Why didn’t you buy that armor back there? You’ve been all about returning to who you were. Wouldn’t that be the perfect thing to help with that?”

Link sighs a kind of pitiful sound and shrugs, “Didn’t have the money for it…” They are coming up to the bridge before the path leads up to the little mountain. “You change your mind about coming with?”

Revali frowns and shakes his head. “No, my legs are still too stiff from yesterday. You two go have fun with the Sheikah. I’ll stay behind. Entertain the children or something,” Revali adds, seeing a group of tots watching him curiously from behind a building’s corner.

“Suit yourself,” Urbosa says and her and Link set off to find their research director.

Revali watches them go off, mind still back at the clothing store. Link didn’t have the money to pay for the uniform, but he obviously wanted it… Why didn’t he ask him or Urbosa to buy it? Between all of them they could have pulled the money, he alone has more than enough…

Revali frowns, feet unconsciously taking him back to the store. Link must have been too proud to ask for help getting something he probably saw as a little frivolous. The armor is a little heavy for their travels, and he already had a very workable set of clothes to work with. Still. Revali opens the door to the clothing store and makes a beeline for the armor. There are some things that Revali is indebted to Link for getting him. If this would make the Hylian happy, then it would be a worthwhile purchase.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! This is a kind of short chapter I guess, but there have been some ideas rattling about in my brain that I don't really know what to do with. 
> 
> I thought it might be neat to do a vote for a chapter? All of these ideas are important for their own reasons, and will appear anyway in the story. But for a more recent chapter, it's a tie in my head of whether I want to dedicate a chapter to Daruk or do a memory stand-alone chapter. 
> 
> So! Maybe you could help me decide?   
> I'll list all the ideas and then you can put the correlating number into the comment section. Whatever number gets mentioned the most, by guest and user alike, will be the idea I go for in the next chapter! 
> 
> 1) What's Daruk up to?  
> 2) Down Gerudo Memory Lane  
> 3) Revali's Letters  
> 4) More Plot! (what's currently happening in Hateno Village)
> 
> The vote will end at 9pm on the 6th, since that is when I typically start writing the next week's chapter.   
> The chapter up to vote now will then be posted on Tuesday.


	13. Eldin

With bleary eyes, Daruk wakes up. Moist rubble in his eyes. He squints and rubs it out.

“Good to see you awake. Yunobo will want to meet you as soon as possible. No doubt he’s been told that you showed up last night.”

Daruk looks up as the Goron in the large chair in the center of the room.

“Who’s Yunobo?” Daruk asks, shaking his head. His travel to Goron City was long and hard on his legs. He sits up and meets eyes with the elder when no response comes. “Boss?”

Boss frowns and moves so as not to meet Daruk’s eyes. He lets out a heart-heavy sigh.

“Come outside with me, Lord Daruk. I have something to show you.”

Wary, Daruk rolls out of the bed and follows Boss outside, but the elder stops once they are outside. Daruk lets his eyes adjust before gazing out at the city again.

It isn’t a very big place. At least, not as big as a city title would make it out to be. In any case, the Gorons had moved on from the Calamity pretty well. Destruction seems to have hit everywhere, but here. The mountains and lava probably protected it from the worst of Ganon’s war path.

Boss clears his throat and Daruk looks over at him. Slowly, Boss raises his hand to motion towards a mountain opposite of them. Daruk follows where Boss’s hand points. On the other side of the city, a large mountain had been carved. Daruk holds his breath as he sees who is all up there. The largest statue being of himself.

He doesn’t deserve this. Why would they carve out a statue for a failure like him? His eyes scrawl over the mountain, looking at the other faces. Who were they? Did they also die in the fight, like he had? One is only just a child.

“That mountain was carved a couple years after the Calamity. You were the first person to be added. It became a beacon of hope for the people. In the roughest times, the Gorons would look up and know you were still looking out for us. Even if you were gone.”

With a stiff lip, Daruk tries not to let his emotions get the better of him.

A small gasp can be heard to their left. Daruk looks over to see a younger Goron gawking at him. The young guy’s eyes are round as cooking pots. Boss yells for him to come over here.

Boss coughs before motioning towards the youth, “This is Yunobo. He’s your descendent and has inherited your power of protection.”

Yunobo, at a loss of what to do, stammers something incomprehensible before bowing as low as he can. Daruk smiles and walks over to pat the boy on the back.

“No need for that, brother. We can skip all that pandering bull,” Daruk puts his massive hands on either of Yunobo’s shoulders and straightens the boy out in front of him, “So you’re my descendent? Yeah, I’d say you’re a chip off the old block alright.”

Yunobo smiles nervously up at Daruk, “T-that’s what they tell me anyway! Haha!”

Boss comes up to Daruk’s side, his serious eyes never faltering. Daruk smiles down at the elder while he unhands the nervous pebble.

“It’s great to be with you guys. When I was first getting my bearings of the world, I thought I might never get the chance to come here.”

“Why is that, Lord Daruk? Where did you go anyway?” Yunobo asks, caught up in his excitement.

Daruk looks from Yunobo, then back to Boss. Both look up at him, patiently waiting his response. However, the air fills with a delicious smell. A couple of Gorons pass them by, holding scorching hot roasts.

Boss straightens up and says, “Ah, the rock roast is done. We can continue this discussion over some good food.”

The elder shuffles back into his house, followed closely by Daruk and Yunobo. Inside, the roasts had been placed by the throne. The Gorons who had carried them in shuffle past Daruk, heading for the door again. Daruk yells a quick thank you over his shoulder at them, and the strangers respond with nods before they leave the building.

Boss makes himself comfortable on the bed, rock roast in hand. Yunobo soon takes to the floor beside the bed, leaving the throne empty. Daruk looks from the throne to the other Gorons and decides to sit on the floor directly in front of them. Nobody makes comment as they all dig into their rock roasts.

It all feels so familiar to Daruk. The delicious smell in the air. The weight of the rock roast in his hand. How warm and satisfying the meal is. Even the feeling of the hard volcanic floor under them all. Everything about this place felt right in his bones.

The elder puts the bone for his rock roast aside, letting Yunobo scoop it up for himself.

“Tell me,” Boss speaks, “Do you really not remember anything, brother?” Daruk shakes his head sadly, roast in mouth. Boss appears a bit crestfallen, and even Yunobo pauses in his meal to look up at Daruk in dismay.

Daruk rubs his mouth of the rubble and says, “I don’t remember anything, Boss. Not since I woke up in the Resurrection Shrine, a month or so back.”

“You did actually die that day?” Boss asks.

Daruk nods. He grabs his clean bone and chews on the end of it. Yunobo looks shocked at the news, while Boss becomes more and more contemplative. When Daruk finishes his bone, he rests his hands on either of his knees. “I only remember from the time I woke up in the shrine to this very day. No further back.”

Yunobo looks over at Boss, who is still silent. “Boss?”

Boss shakes his head, “Not right. Having to forget everything. We’ll help you remember, brother. It’s the least we can do.”  

Daruk smiles big, wanting to hug the old man. “You don’t owe me a pebble, Boss. But I appreciate that you’re willing to help me. It means a lot.”

The elder laughs a dry laugh and shakes his head. “No, we all owe you. More than you know.”

“Oh!” Yunobo gasps, getting the other two Gorons’ attention, “Here, this is yours. You should be wearing it, since you’re back and all.” Yunobo undoes the clasp around his neck. The handkerchief that had hung on his shoulders falls, bundling into his hands.

Yunobo straightens out the fabric and folds it to show the main subject matter on it: a lizard. Then he holds it out for Daruk to take.

“What’s this?” Daruk asks, frowning. He picks up the cloth daintily up from Yunobo’s hands.

“That was your Champion garb, from when you joined the Hylians in their quest to defeat Calamity Ganon. It signified you as one of the chosen to pilot a Divine Beast,” Boss explains.

Daruk flips the piece around, admiring the fine work. Little hands must have made this. Slowly, he works the cloth and chain around himself and clasps the chain like a sash over his chest. He lifts the clasp and looks at the red markings on it. A Goron lock.

_“I hope you don’t mind that I pulled you away from the others. I thought that you might find the new information about Vah Rudania useful,” Zelda smiled shyly up at Daruk. She put a lot of time into all of the research for all of the Champions, and Daruk couldn’t help feeling grateful for all of her hard work. Without her, he wouldn’t have a clue of what to do with that giant pile of metal._

_“No worries, Princess. I’m grateful for any information you can find on old Rudania. He’s a bit of a class act. Which makes sense, since there are apparently some trials I will need to go through?” Zelda nodded her affirmation and Daruk nodded back. “Right. I’ll start scouting for these shrines as soon as I get back up the mountain.”_

_“I’m glad to hear, Daruk.”_

_“So what else is on the itinerary? Or are we all just gathered up to pass on sensitive information?”_

_“Well…” Zelda took a breath, then let it out slowly, “My father actually has the Champion garbs for us, after the supper tonight. Then later…”_

_“Yeah?”_

_Zelda looked off to the side before meeting his eyes. “I took your opinion into consideration, and decided that we will have Link’s knighting ceremony tomorrow.”_

_“Ceremony?” Daruk asked, having not thought along that vein of honor. He had hoped for Link to get recognition for all he did in Zelda’s protection, but all the pomp of a royal ceremony seemed a bit much. “Can’t you knight him without all that?”_

_“Oh, should I not?” Zelda looked up, concerned._

_“No, do it! He deserves to be knighted,” Daruk reassured her and she relaxed at that. Though her brow remained creased._

_“Then, yes, there will be a ceremony. That is the proper way to do it, after all.”_

_“Of course.”_

“Huh,” Daruk says out loud, still staring at his lock. “That was weird.”

Boss leans forward, “What is it, Lord Daruk?”

“I told you, I’m no lord,” Daruk chides the old man. Then he shrugs, “Dunno. Just thought of something.” He looks at his Champion sash again and smiles, “Thanks for the sash back, little man.”

“Y-yeah, no problem.”

“So, Boss,” Daruk starts, “Rudania been a bother lately? I saw him climbing around the top of the mountains on the way in.”

Boss nods, a weight settling across his whole person with the mention of the Divine Beast. “Rudania has caused the mountain to erupt ever since Ganon took possession of it. Every day brings about more rubble. Landslides block old entry ways to our food resources. Rock roast is becoming scarcer than it ever was before the Calamity.”

Daruk sits up a little straighter, hearing things are so dire. “I came back to pilot Vah Rudania again. People from Hylia’s old court filled me in after I woke up. Freeing Vah Rudania, to then free Princess Zelda, is my only goal right now.”

“Freeing Princess Zelda? She can’t be…” Boss trails off, thinking, “No…”

“She’s still alive, Boss. She’s spoke to us Champions, from inside the castle. We heard her before we even knew our roles in this whole mess. It’s time for us to set things right.”

“The other Champions are alive too?” Yunobo asks, eyes wide. “And the Princess? Are you guys going to try to destroy Ganon again?”

“Nonsense,” Boss interrupts, slamming his hands down. “The Princess has been dead for a century. Why else would she not finish Ganon off herself? Last we had heard, she never learned the full extent to her powers. There is no way she could have survived.”

“Then explain why Ganon is contained in Hyrule Castle,” Daruk demands. Yunobo is also sending questioning looks at his boss.

“Who knows? Maybe he is just bidding his time. Watching us all suffer before putting us finally out of our misery. I don’t care. What I do know is that no puny Hylian could survive for a hundred years. Not even a Goron should live that long!”

“Yet here I am!” Daruk yells, standing up. “I saw Link with my own eyes! The Hylians are alive and they need our help to defeat this menace that took over our country. What is your problem, old man?”

Boss stands up suddenly, straightening his back as much as he can. “There is no saving Hyrule, Lord Daruk! Whoever put these old fantasies in your head needs to catch up. We don’t live in those times anymore! Now if you excuse me, I have a Divine Beast to chase off,” Boss ends his lecture, pushing past Daruk.

Daruk watches Boss march off in bewilderment. Yunobo stands up and walks up beside Daruk.

“What was that about?” Daruk asks, at a loss.

“I…have no idea, sir. Boss never acts like that. I should probably go after him. He’s going to throw out his back again, like that.”  

“You do that…” Daruk says, watching Yunobo rush out. That could have gone better.

Daruk looks around the room, not sure what to do now. His plan to go to the Divine Beast fell a little stale on the elder’s ears. Should he go anyway? But how in the world can he get up on that thing…

A knock comes from outside the hut along with a greeting, “Lord Daruk?” They call from the outside. Daruk sighs, feeling like he’ll never get out from under that blasted title.

Daruk comes to the curtain and moves it to the side to see a Goron outside waiting with a little boy standing next to him.

“So you are actually back,” The adult says, eyes wide. He then gets down on his knee in a bow. “It’s amazing to have you back, sir.” The little boy beside him looks at the older before also giving an awkward bow.

“Now, now,” Daruk says, putting his hand on the bowing Goron, “No need for that. You don’t have to treat me like I’m some big deal. I didn’t even know what to expect when I came back here. Let alone know why all of you seem to think I’m some big-shot. I’m not.” Daruk grumbles on, visibly confusing the Goron in front of him.

The stranger raises off of his knee. “You don’t remember us?”

The kid staggers up on his feet and asks, “Does that mean you don’t remember Moliten?”

“Moliten?”

The adult Goron eyes Daruk, “If you don’t even know who Moliten is, then who are you to pretend to be Lord Daruk? Maybe it was too much to think that he had returned…” The kid looks saddened, and the adult nods at the kid before they start to roll off.

Daruk watches them in bewilderment. Didn’t he look like himself? Why was Moliten such an important part of his identity? One where without knowing him, he apparently didn’t know himself… Daruk looks back up at the sculpted mountain.

There he was at the top, looking the picture of a show-off. Ugh, this is such a waste of time, he had a Divine Beast to go to!

But if Boss caught him trying to get close to Rudania, he’d have the whole city chasing after him, almost definitely. Groaning, Daruk takes a sit at the railing. He will have to wait for Boss to get back so that he can make another defense on his mission to retake Rudania. Until then…

Daruk looks back at the sculpture of himself. How embarrassing… Looking lower, he notices the child’s hair on the mountain. It looks suspiciously like Yunobo’s hair… But if that is Yunobo, then that means that the Goron holding him… Who is that?

Daruk squints at the rock. Could that be Boss? No, that doesn’t look like Boss. Besides, Boss would have said Yunobo was his own descendent… Or wait, how do these Goron lineages work? Daruk looks around, almost instantly finding another dynamic of older Goron and younger Goron. Side by side. Brothers. Another Goron walks past the pair of brothers Daruk is studying, but Daruk then focuses on this other stranger.

The passing Goron has a large dark patch overlapping his otherwise normal slab-back. It looks drier than volcanic rock. Daruk’s back aches just looking at the guy. The stranger’s hand reaches back casually to scratch at the patche, but it hesitates and he lowers his arm back down again. Scratchy patch.

Wait.

_Is now really a good time to go without rolling?_

Daruk blinks and rubs his eyes with a groan. What was that? What was he trying to remember? Focusing on the idea of rolling, Daruk tries to jog his memory. A scratchy patch. Rolling. Going without rolling. Bad time to go without rolling. Bad times. Before the Calamity? Definitely not after. Rolling. Scratchy patch. Dry patch.  

“Brother? Is that really you?”

Daruk looks up with a jolt. An elder stands over him, a younger adult right behind his shoulder.

“Goron been bothering you since you came back? Think you could lend a minute to the city’s blacksmith?” The elder asks, a concerned look about his face.

“No, not really. And yeah, I’ve time to talk,” Daruk answers and then rubs his face. “Sorry, I was just thinking about something.”

The elder nods understandingly. “Would you like to come to the hot spring with us? Plenty of space to think up there.”

“Hot spring?” Daruk asks, getting to his feet, “Sounds great. Let’s go.”

“My name is Rohan,” The elder says as they make their way up. “This young man is my apprentice, Fugo.”

“Nice to meet you, Rohan. Fugo.”

“It’s nice to meet you too, Lord Daruk,” the young man answers back, chipper beyond belief. Rohan shares a wirily look with Daruk as they continue on.

Further up the trail, Rohan speaks up again, “How different do you find the mountains, Lord Daruk? I’ve lived for a long time here and even I can see a huge different. It must be jarring for someone like you.”

“The mountains?” Daruk asks back, like he’s just taking note of all the dirt around him. “I…guess they are different. A little bit.”

“A little bit?” Rohan laughs; Fugo tags his laughter on as well. “The landslides from Rudania have made these hills look like another place entirely! Sometimes I wonder if I am even living in the same mountain anymore…”

“Oh…” Is all Daruk can say, and he gives an awkward laugh. “Yeah, of course. I just figured since I was gone so long, things would change! That’s how the world works, right?”

In front of them the view of the hot waters starts to appear. A sign out front gives a clear indicator that they’re in the right place. “You don’t need to lie to me, Lord Daruk. I can tell you don’t remember.”

Daruk stiffens up and stands still as the pair of blacksmiths keep heading towards the water. Fugo eventually turns around in confusion. “Aren’t you going to come in with us, brother? The waters warm.” Daruk nods and comes along, wading into the shallow water until he is sitting along a wall opposite of Rohan.

Sitting in the water, Daruk relaxes as he feels the water run up the cracks of his back. The warm water feels amazing. His joints loosen the longer he sits there. After awhile, he sinks deeper into the water. After the intense traveling he’s done, he needed this.

However, Rohan apparently isn’t content to sit in the springs in silence. So he states, “You may not care, Lord Daruk, but I emerged only thirty years after the fall of Hyrule. My older brother, he told me a lot about you, having emerged himself only some five years before the Calamity fell. He remembered you like his own big brother. Lovingly.”

Daruk blushes at the admission. “What was your older brother’s name?”

“Nadrog. He was the best blacksmith that the city ever knew. Maybe even the best in all of Hyrule.”

Daruk smiles warmly at the elder, “It sounds like you looked up to him a great deal too. I’m sorry to say this, but I assume he passed?”

Rohan nods sadly, “Yes, it’s been many decades since then. I pray every day that the Goddess keeps careful watch over him in the afterlife,” then Rohan gives a funny smile, “Just like I had prayed for you. Though I never imagined that she would bring you back to us. I suppose that shows me for being a cynical.”

Daruk looks to Fugo, not sure what to say to that. Fugo gives Daruk a sympathetic smile, but then he too grows somber.

“Has anyone told you of Moliten, Lord Daruk?” Rohan asks, sounding like he himself would rather not talk about him. Rohan notices Daruk’s frowning, confused face and sighs, “It seems not.”

“Someone mentioned him, but they didn’t explain who he is at all. Just that I should know him.”

Rohan bows his head sagely, “And you should. Moliten meant a good deal to you, as he meant a lot to us all.” Even Fugo then bows his head.

“Moliten isn’t around anymore?” Daruk asks, dreading where this was going. Rohan gives Fugo a sad look and Fugo returns it with the same level of compassion. Daruk’s heart feels like steel. “Who was he?” Daruk asks again.

“Moliten was your little brother, Lord Daruk,” Rohen says with his eyes downcast.

Daruk sits back, mind already racing back around to the mountain. The sculpture of him and Yunobo and…Moliten.

“Nadrog said that everyone had warned you against having Moliten,” Rohan moves on, seemingly compelled to explain further, “Everyone thought it was too risky to raise a rock with Calamity on the verge of falling. It made you vulnerable for months on end, but you kept on going. Nadrog said that you believed that Moliten deserved to have a chance. Whether that chance was with you or without, as long as Moliten kept the Goron strong-willed: it didn’t matter.”

Daruk’s shoulders slump. “I…I said that?” Rohan nods firmly.

Fugo sits up as well, adding, “And he did. Moliten lived a strong life and inspired us all to keep moving forward.”

“He inspired me,” Rohan admits. Daruk smiles sadly at Rohan, then looks down at his hands.

Clasping them together, he lifts some of the water up out of the spring. Then he lets the water seep out between his fingers. “Moliten…” He says, watching the water fall, “I wish I could just remember him. My little brother…” Daruk’s brow furrows as he lets all of the water drop. “Who was my big brother?”

“Your big brother?” Rohan asks back, as if the idea of Daruk having a big brother was a revelation. “I…I don’t know,” Rohan frowns then, looking truly upset, “I’m sorry, Lord Daruk. I never thought to ask.”

“No,” Daruk says immediately, reaching out for the elder’s hands. “You have told me so much. I’ll find out who he was some other way, don’t worry.”

“Of course,” Rohan smiles sadly, gently patting Daruk’s hand. “I have been so happy to help you this much, sir. If there is anything else you would like to know, about Moliten or life after the Calamity, I can do my best to answer.”

Daruk squeezes Rohan’s hands before letting them go. “Thank you, Rohan…”

“Sir,” Fugo speaks up, leaning forward, “Have you reunited with your Boulder Breaker, yet?”

“My Boulder Breaker?”

Rohan lightens up at this change in conversation, “Yes, you had an amazing weapon in your old life. They were able to scavenge it when they recovered your body. It is a sword called the Boulder Breaker. One of the strongest weapons ever made. My brother’s crowning piece.”

Daruk smiles, he likes the sound of this weapon already. “No, I haven’t gotten my hands on it. Do you know where it is?”

Rohan nods, “Yes, it is in Boss Blundo’s hands. I am surprised he hasn’t already given it to you.”

“Yeah, well me and Boss aren’t really getting along all that great,” Daruk admits, leaning back against the wall.

Fugo gives Daruk a lopsided smile and says, “Not even here a full day and you’re already butting heads with Boss? You really are a strong-willed one, huh brother?”

Daruk gives out a laugh, trying to relieve some of the tension that had tugged on him even in the safety of the hot spring. “Yeah, yeah, I guess I am.” Daruk rises from the water suddenly, water rolling off his sides in sheets. “Sorry, but I should go see if he is back. I have some important things to talk to him about.”

“Of course, brother,” Rohan says as Daruk leaves the spring. “Good luck to you!”

“Good luck, Lord Daruk!” Fugo yells as well. Daruk already many paces away from the spring. He turns slightly to wave as he leaves the area, and heads back down to Goron City.

As he comes down the mountain, he takes another long look at the sculpted mountain. So that’s Moliten. Daruk gives a sad smile, being able to put a face to the name. He did a really good job at keeping everyone together while you were gone.

Down below, Daruk notices that Yunobo is hovering around Boss. Boss remains a true stone, unmoving. While Yunobo flutters some, shifting around and looking anxious. It’s only when Daruk makes it all the way back into the city, does Yunobo notice that he’s around. Visibly, the young Goron relaxes and then waits patiently for Daruk alongside Boss.

“You ran off,” Boss greets Daruk as he approaches, “Made Yunobo about piss himself from worrying over where you had gone to.”

“Did not!” Yunobo cries with a betrayed face.

Daruk gives a hearty laugh, going in to give Yunobo a bear hug. The young guy squeaks when Daruk picks him up. “Miss me did you?” Daruk teases the boy.

“Nooo!” Yunobo squeals, struggling slightly in Daruk’s embarrassing embrace. Daruk continues to laugh as he gives Yunobo another squeeze before setting the boy back down. 

“You two make for a good pair of rock steaks in a skillet,” Boss laughs as he watches them.

Daruk turn to Boss then, “We do what now? Old man, I think you’re losing it.”

Boss rolls his eyes upwards, “I think I may actually be doing just that. Since Yunobo convinced me to help you out with your ridiculous plan. Princess or not. We need that Divine Beast under control.”

“Wait, really?” Daruk perks up, “Just like that?”

“Just like that,” Boss agrees, grief clear in his voice, “Yunobo, why don’t you catch Lord Daruk up on the info we have about Vah Rudania. I’ll go fetch the Boulder Breaker for him.”

Daruk watches with wide eyes as Boss heads back into his hut. Then he turns to focus those wide eyes on Yunobo. “I thought you were going to calm him down, not change his mind! I owe you, little brother.”

Yunobo smiles and blushes as he responds, “No, it was nothing, really. Boss always had a soft spot for me. It didn’t take much. I just think that what you’re trying to do is important. I want to help.”

Daruk smiles down at the boy. Moliten’s little brother. Already, he’s growing into a mature, strong man. Daruk really did miss a lot in that dumb Resurrection Shrine, but at least he’s lucky enough to get to see this.

“A-anyway,” Yunobo stammers, having been under Daruk’s warm presence longer now than he had been all day, “Boss wanted me to tell you about what we’ve been doing with Vah Rudania. Remember how we said that I inherited your gift?” Daruk nods, smiling. The boy is so passionate. “We-well, Boss has these cannons that he operates. No one else is strong enough to use them. We use them to hit Vah Rudania, and that tends to scare the Beast off for at least a little while.”

Daruk frowns, “You…hit the Divine Beast?”

Yunobo blushes and nods some. “Yeah. And since normal rocks or metals don’t really bug it, I tend to use the protection ability…on myself. And Boss then uses the cannon with me in it.”

Daruk’s eyebrows raise considerably. “You smack the Divine Beast Vah Rudania so much that it gets annoyed and then leaves. And that’s been you’re go to plan?”

Frowning, Yunobo shrugs. “…only thing we could think to do. You can’t get inside of it at all. And what would we do if we did get inside of it? It killed you. That means anyone else that would go in would probably die too.”

“Yunobo…”

“I’ll show you what the door looks like, too. Once you have the sword. You’ll probably know how to get in once I show you,” Yunobo assures Daruk, but Daruk only grows more confused.

Boss moves the curtain of his hut aside and strides out with a large club in hand. Daruk isn’t sure what he is looking at at first until Boss puts the weapon in his hands.

Slowly, Daruk rotates his weapon. The Boulder Breaker. The edges are sharp, curving in slightly. But the end is blunt and heavy. Perfect for bludgeoning. An amazing piece, just like Rohan said. Daruk straps the Breaker onto his back. “Thanks, Boss.”

“Okay,” Yunobo speaks up, “F-follow me, please.”

Daruk does as he’s instructed and follows Yunobo back behind Goron City, northward. Not too far up the trail, they run into one of Link’s shrines. Daruk looks disdainfully at the thing. Would be a really useful structure, had Link actually decided to help the cause this time around.

Yunobo steps up onto the platform and motions towards the blocked off entrance. “This is the closest thing to what the Divine Beast’s entrance looks like. It’s completely cut off, with no handle. Just this kind of podium next to it.” Yunobo pats the Slate scanner and turns around to Daruk. “Any idea how to get into something like this?”

Sighing, Daruk grudgingly gets up on the platform with Yunobo. He frowns as he rubs his hand over the dusty podium. “Yeah, but I don’t have the tool it takes to open it.”

“The tool?” Yunobo asks, a sudden vigor in him, “Do you know where it is?”

“Only vaguely. And I’m not too sure the owner would be up to lending it out. It’s a priceless item to have. One of a kind.”

“Don’t worry, sir,” Yunobo assures him, “If we explain why we need it, we could convince them! There’s no way they wouldn’t lend it for something like this.” Daruk has his doubts about that, but he looks at the pure excitement on the boy’s face. How could he tell him nicely that the Hylian Champion, Link, had wanted nothing to do with saving his own princess?

Daruk shakes his head. “It isn’t that simple, Yunobo. We’ll have to find another way.”

Yunobo frowns at this and crosses his arms. “No offense, but no one is that terrible, Lord Daruk. If you don’t want to convince them, that’s find. I’ll find them myself. Then you can stay here and help Boss keep the Beast at Death Mountain.”

“Yunobo, come on now, don’t be stubborn…”

“I don’t want to be, but you’re giving me little choice! This is the only chance we have at taming this thing. Why would you argue with Boss if you didn’t want this?”

Daruk looks down at Yunobo with some parts dismay and some parts respect. He hadn’t thought the little Goron had the guts to talk to his upper like this. But then again, he had Boss wrapped around his finger…

Letting out a deep breath, Daruk gives in, “Okay, okay. I’ll tell you who to go find. Though they might be hard to track down, you know! You could be gone for a very long time.” Yunobo nods eagerly. “…okay. Let’s go tell Boss the plan. And I’ll explain more about where to go and what the people you’re tracking are like.”

It makes Daruk a little sad to send Yunobo out after Link like this, but the kid’s face looks like it could split in half from how wide his smile is. Maybe this could be good for Yunobo.

Three weeks later, Yunobo finds himself in the peaceful, if windy, village of Kakariko. Mentally, he goes over the names of the people he needs to ask the whereabouts to. His eyes search out for the largest house, set under a beautiful waterfall. When he finds the guards he approaches them carefully, like Lord Daruk had warned him to, and he asks them respectfully for an audience with Lady Impa. On Lord Daruk’s behalf.

Wearily, one guard goes inside, leaving Yunobo awkwardly with the other one. He says something kind of pitiful about his missing chickens.

Yunobo is then led out to a small gathering filled with standing rocks. Here is where he has his private audience with Lady Impa, who is calmly pushed into the grassy area in a wheeled chair.

“Yunobo, is it? What word do you have from Champion Daruk?”

“We’re in search of Champion Link. He has the Sheikah Slate that we need to enter the Divine Beast Vah Rudania,” Yunobo skips right to the chase, “Do you know where he went to from here?”

Lady Impa looks down gravely at the kneeled Yunobo. “I do have that knowledge. But how do I know you are not a spy? A traitor, siding with the likes of Ganon?”

“G-Ganon?” Yunobo stammers, surprised, “Why would I side with him? He wants to destroy everything! More than he already has.” Seeing the Lady unimpressed, Yunobo rambles on, “A-and I’m Daruk’s little brother’s little brother! His descendent. I have his gift: Daruk’s Protection.” Yunobo shows this gift by casting the barrier around himself before hastily dropping it again. “We weren’t ever sure that Lord Daruk would return, but all of us Goron have been ready to lay down our lives for his cause. He says we have to free Vah Rudania. So that’s what we’ll do. Please believe me, your ladyship. I’m here in only good will!”

Lady Impa studies the boy a moment more after Yunobo’s proclamation. A smile plays on her lips, and she nods knowingly. “Of course. And a chip off the old shoulder you are. I’m sure Daruk is very proud of you, to send you out like this. I will tell you Link’s whereabouts.”

“Thank you, your ladyship.”

“But I should tell you,” Lady Impa states sagely, “if you wait around long enough, you will find that Link will be coming to you instead.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was so surprised! I know I missed Daruk, but you guys really hit home that we all love the big rock! I hope you liked our little Daruk-checkup chapter :) 
> 
> That aside, if you want to see the chapter covers I've been doing for each chapter, you can go check them out on my tumblr (same name).   
> You can also chat me up there! So don't be a stranger~   
> See ya next week ya'll <3


	14. Hateno

Climbing the stairs in the inn, Revali looks out the window. In his wings he holds a box of clothes he isn’t sure how he’ll give away. In his head he holds utter bemusement as he watches his friends make a fuss when it starts to rain on them. His shorter friend, the Hylian, throws his soaked torch into the stream in frustration. The Gerudo, beauty and grace incarnate, freaks out and dives in after the torch. What in the world is wrong with those two?

Revali looks back at his box of questionable buyer’s remorse and then back at his questionable choice in companionship. His legs throb from just having to walk down to one end of town and back. There is no way is his going all the way out to the others to check up on them. It just isn’t happening.

Instead, he waddles back to the big room they have their beds in.

That still leaves him with a wooden box full of armor. Which in retrospect, he had no idea how he had planned on giving this to Link. Even just leaving the box on Link’s bed might be too obvious…

He gets an idea: a nice, not completely embarrassing approach. Revali groans and goes about putting the plan into motion, going back down to the first floor. Then he comes back upstairs to flop his body down soundly on his bed with another groan. That was the most draining and horrible thing he has probably ever had to do. Of course, he can’t remember almost the entirety of his life span up to this point, but if he had to guess: he’d say that was one of the most draining exchanges he’s ever made. There is no way anything else he’s ever done could have been worse.

Outside, Link tries to keep his face straight as Urbosa scolds him for throwing their only torch into the stream. The regal lady in question looks down at him angrily, her borrowed face paint running dramatically down from her eyes. She is soaked through and through from her dive into the higher waters.

“Are you even listening, you little twerp? Don’t make me make you focus!” Urbosa says, pulling out the torch to further her threat. Link shrinks down in an instant, hands held up in surrender. Urbosa sneers, lowering the torch. “Better.” She looks up at the raining clouds. “Will it ever stop raining? I thought we were done with this.”

Feeling the same frustration, Link gages how heavy the clouds look. It’s as if they came out of nowhere, but now that they’re here, they’re here to stay. Looks like they’ll just have to wait it out.

Urbosa puts away the torch and seems to come to the same conclusion Link had because she starts heading the way towards the inn. Link follows her and they get up on the inn’s porch to strain out their excess water before they go in.

“Sir?” The girl at the counter calls as they enter the inn, “Are you Link?” Link looks over confused before nodding. Curious, both Urbosa and Link edge over to the counter. “There is a package here. Anonymous sender. Be sure to take it up with you.” She then nudges a sizable box out from behind the counter for Link to see.

Link’s eyes go big, but he thanks the girl before lifting it up. Urbosa looks at the box skeptically as they climb up the stairs to the beds. She opens the door for Link before she calls to Revali, “My dearest little feathered-brother, do you have-“

“A rag to whip away that nasty mistake that is your face? Of course, it’s over on your bed already.”

Urbosa raises her eyebrows, practically radiating a call for excusal for that rudeness, but Revali ignores her instead eyeing the box in Link’s hands. He sits up slowly as Link brings the box over to his own bed. Link looks through his weapons thoughtfully before settling with a traveler’s sword to begin prying the box open with.

Revali’s beak starts opening before he can even think, “Little gift from the director?”

Link shakes his head, his eyebrows scrunching as he keeps trying to pry the nails of the box off. Urbosa quips, “No, she hasn’t actually helped us at all yet. We have to help her bring her Guidance Stone back to life before she’ll give an upgrade on the Sheikah Slate.”

“Well, if this crate isn’t from her, then who is it from?”

Link shrugs before he rips off a couple of the planks at the same time. His face lights up a little. Revali tries to keep his face neutral as Link pulls the helmet out.

Urbosa walks over, some face paint still on her face. “Isn’t that the armor from the clothing store?”

Link nods, quickly pulling out the rest of the clothing. His face practically shines when he pulls out the shirt with the Hylian insignia on it.

“Too bad it was an anonymous sender. It was really nice of them to just give that to you,” Urbosa muses and Link nods along, happily surveying his loot. Revali allows himself a small smile as he watches. “Do you think it was the girl from the store? Who else would know you were interested?” Revali instantly deflates. This wasn’t supposed to be from her. Link, similarly, frowns at the thought. She shouldn’t be giving away their merchandise like this.

Urbosa sits on the bed, still whipping at her face, she says, “Maybe she’s interested in you. Like a secret admirer?” Link’s face reddens and Urbosa notices, before continuing on in a teasing voice, “Aw, she was cute right? You could take her out on dates before we leave. Give her lots of flowers and come back later. Maybe then-“

Revali interjects when he sees Link starting to get to into this theory, “Urbosa, Link doesn’t like girls. Maybe you should be a little bit more sensitive to that before you create fantasy romances between him and her like that.”

Sitting back, her mouth falls into a small o-shape, before she rebounds, “Right! Shit, right, that-that wouldn’t be how it is anyway!” Urbosa reaches over to reassure Link, a hand on his shoulder, “I’m _sure_ the outfit was _just_ meant as a really platonic sign of good will, since you’re probably one of the only customers they got that really understood the historical importance of the piece!” Link gives her an unbelieving look, but Urbosa keeps going, “She’d want someone who really cared about it to get their hands on it over anyone else. Forget that other stuff I said. She probably has like a husband and ten kids anyway. She wouldn’t have the time for any dumb secret admirer business.” Urbosa blows out a huff of air before squeezing Link’s shoulder and rubbing it in circles.

Link looks over at Revali, eyebrows high and body visibly moving back and forth from Urbosa’s reassurance. After all that, Revali isn’t really sure what to say, so he just shakes his head in exasperation. Thinking fast, he suggests going out to the cooking pot for a meal, which Link’s hunger-inspired attention span picks up in a hot second. Urbosa lets Link go and watches them from the corner of her eye as they head back out.

With a sigh, she plops herself back down on her bed, staring up at the ceiling. The dirty rag still in her hand. The sound of rain splattering down on the roof comforts her as she thinks about how thoughtless that was. ….But who else would send something like that? Should she talk to that girl for Link?

Urbosa sighs out her discontent. She can’t just take up Link’s battles for him. Even if she kind of wanted to help him through whatever this is. Then there is the work with the research team they can’t continue with until it stops raining. They can’t just leave to go to any of the other places they have to go to because it could stop raining at any point. There’s the shrine, but that’s something that Link can do whenever he wants to. Without her. What can she do? Urbosa sits up and eyes Revali’s bed.

Under that bed, Revali kept his collection of letters that he had shown her back in the inn in the Domain. He had said that if she ever wanted to read over anything Koriga had written, she could always take another look. Urbosa frowns, thinking about just taking him up on that offer. The letters don’t really pertain to her and they didn’t jog any memories for her at all sadly, but it was at least something to read.

Or there is Link’s pamphlet to look over.

Content on the reading materials she could gather around herself, she decidedly goes about collecting both the letters and pamphlet into a nest to surround herself with while the boys are out. At least she gets some time to herself in all this running they are having to do.

Link and Revali don’t talk about the armor as they go down to the cooking pot. And after eating, they don’t really talk about anything after deciding to work on the local shrine for the rainy afternoon. The Hylian Champion looks lost in thought though and, Revali doesn’t know how to coax Link away from thinking about what Urbosa had said.

Revali could tell that Link was still lost in his head as they left the shrine again.

The smell of reawakened mummy still clings to their nostrils as they teleport out. Outside the sun is hanging low on the horizon. Not quite dusk, not quite daylight hours. The slightest of drizzles ruin any prospect of picking up the torch again.

Link tugs on Revali’s wing to follow him out of the shrine and Revali follows Link silently. He isn’t sure what Link could have planned next, but anything was better than just wasting away their time. His legs try to keep up. He wishes he hadn’t be so easily persuaded in traveling this far from the inn. Now Link will feel like he could drag Revali wherever he wanted!

“There’s a pond up here. We should see if there’s anything in it while it’s still raining,” Link finally calls back to him as he pulls him up an incline leading away from the village. Link let’s go of Revali’s wing, rushing up again. Hylian homes decorate this area, pleasing Revali’s eyes more than the other houses at the heart of the village. These seem to be inspired from the similarly colorful Rito quarters Revali is more familiar with.

But after a short climb, Revali’s legs are truly killing him again. Why did he allow Link to drag him around again? Ugh. With a short gust, Revali takes a lift off in an attempt to relieve some of the pressure. Flying low, he watches Link look up at him while he crosses the bridge. In front of the bridge is a quaint house, though not as admirable as the other ones before it. Beside that house is the pond that Link must have been talking about. He closes in for a careful landing.

When he turns towards the pond, Link is already there looking down into the waters. Suddenly, the Hylian dives forward, splashing water everywhere. Triumphantly, he holds a helpless frog up for Revali to see as he closes in on the pond. Frog catching: how charming.

Among the drizzle and the frog ribbits, a hammering can be heard not too far away. Revali tries to ignore it and even thinks about sitting down, but then he makes direct eye contact with a Hylian who seems to be working on the nearby house. They probably shouldn’t be here.

“Link, maybe we shouldn’t-“

Link turns on him, five frogs barely contained in his arms. His eyebrows scrunch up as he listens to what Revali is saying.

Revali tries again, “I think this may be someone’s pond?” He looks back at the stranger at the house, who looks back at them strangely in return. Link looks over where Revali is looking, and gives a friendly wave at the stranger. A frog jumps out of Link’s arms, and Link rips about trying to recapture it. Revali stands there deadpan as more water is sprayed over his legs.

After Link gets his frogs stored away, he looks over at the stranger again before speaking, “He would be coming over here if it wasn’t okay.”

Revali rolls his eyes, both hating that they were even over here and happy that at least Link’s attention wasn’t completely focused on fake secret admirers anymore. So, he stands, too scared to sit down since he might not be able to get back up. Politely, he refuses when Link tries to persuade him into the waters with more cute antics. What a cruel gremlin. They stay there in the slight drizzle for some time before Revali’s attention is caught by someone talking.

“..pity we have to tear it down though. Could still make a good family home,” someone’s voice says quietly. Revali looks and startles when he sees the stranger walking away from the house with two other men crowded around him.

“It’s what the village wants, Hudson. We have to give the people what they want,” An older man says, decked out in something very decidedly not what you would expect a demolitionist to wear. Pink with zebra stripes.

Revali frowns, looking back at the house. It is a pity that they would take it down. For all of its ugliest features, it looks to be a pretty functional place to live in.

Link had stopped splashing around, but he doesn’t seem to have paid the other Hylians any mind. Instead, he’s fixedly focused at the clear sky above them. Revali glances up to see that, yes, all the clouds had disappeared. The sun, however, is also disappearing at an alarming rate.

“There is no way I’m helping you carry that torch all the way up the hill tonight,” Revali tells Link, as flatly as he can possibly make his voice. Link looks like he’ll try to appeal to Revali’s more giving personality traits, but Revali reminds Link that no. There was never a giving bone in his entire body. He is not going to go on that hike with Link. Especially not tonight.

“It wouldn’t be a run if we strapped the torch to your leg while you flew there,” Link tries again, but Revali doesn’t look impressed.

“You’ll burn my tail feathers right off. Do you want me to be a bare behind, Link? Is that the kind of life you _want_ me to have? Because even if so, I won’t do it. I have more self-respect than to let that happen.”

“Scared that you can’t do it?”

Revali glares down at the Hylian. He won’t fall for this crap.

“…go bother Urbosa with this. I need to rest my legs.”

Link folds his arms, eyebrows high. He points to himself as he says, “I could do it if I was a Rito.”

Revali starts to walk towards the inn, making Link follow him. If he really wanted, he could just end the conversation by flying off. But his mother raised him better than that.

“Why don’t you take your trumped up paraglider and do it then?”

“ _Because_ it only glides _down_. I can’t make it go straight up!” Link claims, throwing his hands up for more emphasis.

The two continue to bicker on the aerodynamics of both Rito and paragliders as they make their way back up to the inn. The argument only ends when they bring it up to Urbosa who has remained surrounded by parchment the entire evening. She looks rather unimpressed, a drumstick hanging from her mouth, and she tells Link that it’s too dark out to be messing with the torch run anyway.

“Does this look right?” she then asks Link. She flicks the papers around until she finds what she’s looking for and goes through what she thinks the motion is. “I’ve gotten a lot of them I think, but this one doesn’t look like it was explained well.” Link’s frown only seems to further her concerns.

“What do you have there, anyway?” Revali asks, both of the boys coming around her bed. Revali scopes up some of the letters, while Link takes a look over Urbosa’s shoulder. “Old Koriga tell you anything new?”

“Unfortunately not. I wish I could remember more about my niece. A snippet here and there of a bubbly child just doesn’t make for a good impression of the kind of woman she could be now,” Urbosa sighs and then concentrates on the gestures Link is making at her. She tries to copy them, but Link has to reach out halfway to fix her finger positions. “Ah, what was I actually saying instead?”

Link shrugs, saying, “Could be anything. I only remember a small amount of sign outside of these.”

Revali watches them tentatively, his letters now all gathered up in his wings. He sits down with them on the bed, pushing away an edging concern over having to move later. He’ll worry about it then.

For the evening, the group huddles together, talking over all the signs and their meanings. At some point, Revali shows Link the letters. Even allowing him to read a more embarrassing one where Koriga teases him on how immature he used to be as a chick. Eventually, the Hylian falls asleep haphazardly laying half off and on the bed simultaneously.

Urbosa and Revali stay quiet, reading over the papers at least a hundred times. If only pouring over these small pockets of the past could make them remember everything, instead of just informing them on what it used to be like.

“You know…” Revali speaks up quietly, whispering to make sure he doesn’t wake their sleeping friend, “Koriga was as old as I was back when she wrote these. The likelihood of her being alive… Well, of course you know that technically speaking… I shouldn’t have lived to be nearly this old.”

“You aren’t that much older, kid,” Urbosa puffs, ignoring everything else he had said. “Do you remember this?” She then acts like she is pulling something from her chest and throwing it off to the side.

“Abort?” Revali guesses, more so using context than from any actual memorization.

“Exactly. Stop trying to make me think more ‘realistically’. It does good to have at least some hope,” Urbosa chides the Rito before shoving him, “Now go to your own bed. I want to sleep.”

Revali whines at the idea of having to get up, “Is Link staying? If Link can stay, then I should be allowed to stay too.”

Urbosa chuckles before shoving Revali some more, “Petty whining doesn’t suit you, birdbrain. Fly away now. Fly fly.”

Rolling his eyes, Revali hops up with his letters in wing. Urbosa comes over with him, Link snoozing in her arms. She carefully rolls him into his own bed, even bothering to tuck him in, of which Revali gags at her for. She sticks her tongue out before going to settle in herself.

Slowly, Revali replaces Koriga’s letters back into the buddle Urbosa had taken them from. Then he settles himself onto the bed, hoping that tomorrow proved to be a sunny day. The sooner they could report back to Lady Impa, the better. Eyes blinking lazily, Revali lets himself fall asleep with the covers pulled tightly around his shoulders.

_Revali looks around him for a moment, taking note of all the logs that had been set up in the little clearing he and his family had taken up space in. Most of his family, his aunts, fly high in the air, sending arrows down in frighteningly accurate shoots towards the log dummies. Revali stands closer to the tree line where he should be less likely to be hit by a stray arrow._

_From the sky, a dark blue Rito dives down towards him and lands gracefully by his side. His mother looks down at him, her Falcon bow carelessly thrown to the side for now. “Do you not want to practice, Revali? You can’t help us if you are not good enough. You must practice this, like you practice your singing.”_

_“I don’t know where my bow is,” Revali hears himself whine._

_His mother tsks with that stressful face she has been wearing more and more lately. Her eyes scan the area before she walks off while shaking her head. Revali worries over where she could be going off to until she comes back with his Swallow bow, which she had picked up from beside a target nearby. She hands it back to him, sternly telling him, “No more procrastinating. Show me how much better you have gotten.”_

_Revali frowns, feeling suddenly nervous. His dad had said that he was still a bit young to become proficient enough with a bow to really help out any, but his mother is diligent in her insistence that he learn. She said he was smart enough, talented. He should be able to figure this out._

_Squaring his tiny shoulders, Revali pulls out an arrow from his quiver. He flinches when it wiggles about before he can balance it carefully in his wingtips. His mother says nothing, so he decides just to keep going. He notches the arrow._

_Carefully, he aims at the target in front of them. It is a bit of a distance. Farther than he had been practicing, but he isn’t about to close in space now that he’s aiming at it. Revali raises the bow a little higher than he normally would. Careful. He’s super aware of how taunt the bow is in his arms, the burn it creates: completely different than the burn he had first felt when learning how to fly._

_He lets the arrow loose. It flies straight and he’s hopeful that it’ll honestly impress his mother. Then it falls a little. Revali slumps as it hits low on the target, but still center. He looks up at his frowning mother._

_“Again.”_

_Shocked into motion, Revali grabs another arrow. Quicker this time, more familiar again, he rests it against the bow easily. He rises the bow even farther. He isn’t sure about this at all, but he has to hit the red. He pulls back farther on the bow, making his wing ache. The arrow flies high, hitting a good distance above the eye of the target. It’s closer than the first attempt, but still not perfect._

_“Again.”_

_The arrow flies again, still high. But closer. Still center._

_“Again.”_

_The arrow still hits high._

_Revali grabs for another arrow, but his mother stops him with the motion of her wing._

_“That’s enough. You’ve made good progress.”_

_A smile breaks across Revali’s face, but it doesn’t last under his Mother’s scrutinizing eyes. He lowering his to the ground. “But not good enough,” Revali supplies, when his mother refuses to comment further._

_“No, not good enough,” She says simply._

_“Well when will it be good enough?!” Revali snaps back, beak rising again. “I want to help the village too! I want to fly with you guys too! When will I be good enough? Because it never seems good enough for you!” Revali could feel the anger of past arguments boil in his chest. All of the singing practices. All of the debates over his aptitudes. Everything about helping out against the new monster invasions. He’s so tired of being underestimated! His mother used to love him unconditionally, but now all she ever is with him is cold!_

_His mother’s eyes narrow, and Revali has only a moment to regret his words before she scoops him up into the air with him._

_He’s thrown up high and caught by his straps in her talons. Then they fly higher and higher, circling around where his aunts still shoot from. For a moment, Revali allows himself to gawk at their combined grace and agility. Then his mother throws him again, assumingly tired of carrying his weight, before catching him once more. His stomach hurts from the vertigo._

_“Look below you, little sparrow!” His mother yells above the winds. Revali doesn’t want to, but he does as he’s told. Now they can see the backs of his aunts, only several feet below. Farther down, the logs used as targets are scattered in the clearing. He has to squint to make out the red dots he knows are painted on them._

_“Archery is much more than aim! Your aunts have an intimate knowledge of where to shoot, so deeply ingrained into their knowledge that they do not worry about hitting the log itself! They only care if the log will hit them first! Everyone is fighting to be the first to hit their mark! If you cannot hit the mark on level ground, how can you expect yourself to compete up here?!”_

_His mother then dives, jolting the young Rito so that his lungs are in his throat when he is finally tossed into a pile onto the ground. He is given a moment to regain himself while his mother takes a more graceful landing._

_“Revali, please understand. You cannot expect too much out of yourself right away. You will burn yourself out,” his mother says as she pulls closer to Revali. Having gathered himself, Revali still turns away as she pulls closer. Though she puts her wing around him. “Revali?”_

_He raises his shoulders, lowering his beak away from his mother. “Why can’t I just practice with them up there? What’s it matter what I can do down here?” he mumbles, barely audible._

_“What was that, dove?”_

_Revali huffs, not wanting to repeat himself again._

_His mom pulls him around forcefully before lowering onto her knees to look at him at eye level. “I am so proud of you. You know that, right?”_

_Revali looks off to the side, not buying her flattery right now. Though it does feel nice._

_“Revali?” He keeps his eyes away from her, not ready to talk with her any more. His mother sighs in defeat. She holds him close, the fledgling in her arms stiff as a board. “I love you, my little song bird. Thank you so much for wanting to help us with this very important task. One day, you will be such a great assist to the village. Truly. Even if you did not take up archery, it wouldn’t matter to me. I believe in you, Revali. No matter what else I may say. I love you.”_

 “You’ve been asleep all day!” Link’s voice yells into Revali’s face before he is overcame by pointy elbows and other scrambling body parts. Frustrated, Revali shoves around, but finds no solid holds on the Hylian. Eventually, Revali opens his eyes to the blindingly bright room so that he can get up and find a good way to shove the pest onto the floor where he belongs.

He winces when Link’s body makes a resounding thud sound as it hits the floor. However Link springs his head back up from the other side, smiling wide, and Revali lets himself not to feel too bad about it.     

Letting his breath settle down, Revali carefully takes a seat on the end of his bed again. Then he patiently turns his head to Urbosa. She stands there, smirking, and completely unhelpfully in all ways conceivable. “So you did the torch-thing for the director, I take it?” Revali says. At least his legs aren’t mind-numbingly sore today.

“We did indeed do that ‘torch-thing’,” she says, poorly mimicking Revali’s voice, “And now we have a new rune for the Sheikah Slate. Why don’t you show him, Link?”

Still grinning, Link jumps up onto the bed again, but remains seated peacefully as he pulls out the Slate. Revali looks over into Link’s hands. The boy has become pretty speedy at turning the machine on and getting through all of the sections available. But then the screen turns into a zoomed in image of Link’s legs, confusing Revali. The Rito tilts his head in confusion as Link physically lifts the Slate up so that the back faces Urbosa. On the screen, Urbosa smiles at them just as she is smiling at them in person.

Link then presses a button, and it is like a mirror! Reflected is Link’s cheeky smile and Revali’s surprised expression, and then, a white light. Revali blinks, and Link holds out the Slate so that Revali can closer look at a stilled image of themselves, caught in the Slate’s window. Revali tilts his head again.

“Wha-This is us? It took our image?” he asks in confusion. He studies his shocked expression, caught in a still for all to study closely. Revali decides almost instantly that he dislikes this image of himself a lot. It needs to burn.

“That’s the power of the new rune,” Urbosa explains, still smiling. Revali’s eyes flicker up to her before he grabs the Slate up, getting a hands-on experience with the rune. “It allows one to capture true images of whatever the ‘camera’ on it is pointing to. As you can see, the camera can be on either side of the Slate.”

“Indeed. Does it do anything more?” Revali asks as Link shows him where the picture-taking buttons are all placed in conjuncture with the displays on the screen.

“There is also a compendium that you can catalogue an assortment of things in, once you have taken the images of them. I assume that even if you delete the image in the storage, the image remains in the compendium.”

“Fascinating…” Slowly, Revali raises the Slate to aim it at Urbosa. Link giggles as Revali cluelessly takes another bad selfie of himself, ugly squinting and all. He then shows him how to flip the camera, the Rito sputtering about how he meant to do that. “Oh!” Revali looks up to Urbosa, “Did you ask about controlling the Divine Beasts?”

Urbosa nods. “Mipha’s hunch was right, we have to redo our trials that we had done before to regain completely control over our Beasts. I’m sure that will be a blast.” Urbosa rolls her eyes, and Revali agrees with the sentiment. If still a little curious yet about the new image-taker in his wings.

Urbosa starts unstrapping the leather of her Hylian outfit, apparently ready to spend the evening in.

“Do we leave tomorrow morning then?”

“Don’t see why we can’t teleport today,” Urbosa shrugs, the piece of leather she’s handling coming off. Revali gives the removed leather a look at which Urbosa rolls her eyes. “It can be put back on.”

Link snickers, nose still in the Slate. Revali frowns at him before sighing, “Yeah we could teleport whenever. You ready, Link?”

Link frowns and gives a wishy-washy wave of his hand. Then he says, “You should eat anyway. I’ll be quick.”

Agreeing to head out later in the afternoon, everyone goes about gathering all of their things from out of the inn. When Revali and Urbosa take up their places around the community pot, Link plops his box full of armor innocently beside them before running off.

It’s hard to tell where Link runs off to then, but as Urbosa and Revali wait for him at the inn, it is obvious that his last stop was the armor shop.

Urbosa nudges Revali, “Think she took it hard?”

“No idea,” Revali says faintly. Well, he thinks, whatever happens, happens. He’ll be damned if she gave him away. Which she probably did… So let Link owe him if that’s what it took. Not that bad of a thought, honestly. Or maybe this just made them even for having to be held the entire way here… No, that wouldn’t do. Link would have to owe him for this, it cost a lot.

While Revali gets comfy with the idea of Link calling him out, Link studies the box for a moment before shoving it into his inventory. Before Revali knows it, they are all joining hands around the Sheikah Slate, just teleporting out of there like there isn’t anything for them to talk about.

Revali blinks dumbly when they arrive at the shrine overlooking Kakariko Village. What just happened?

“Okay there?” Urbosa asks him, not unkindly, when they finish their warp. Revali nods silently, getting used to the fact that they are there now. And not talking about anything related to what he has or hasn’t done.

“Oh,” A voice stammers from behind them. The Champions turn around to the source of the sound, startled. “I-It’s an honor to meet you! I’m Daruk’s descendent, Yunobo. He sent me for you, hope you don’t mind.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ya'll got whiplash yet? Haha wasn't too sure about this chapter, but I think it came out alright. When in doubt, write a thousand words on a dream memory instead of rewriting game dialog :P 
> 
> Next chapter comes out 2 Tuesdays from now.  
> Thank you all for your sweet comments! You all have been so wonderful and supportive in this character study story and it has been amazing <3  
> See ya next week lovelies <3


	15. Dueling Peaks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to a BOTW Friendsim, in which the main protag actively does not take part in almost any of the friendsimming. I'm sorry and enjoy.

Link blinks slowly, the midday sun blinding him as it glints off of a new friendly face. He’s a Goron, another of Daruk’s kind. Big for sure, but not nearly as tall as Daruk himself. Maybe he still has some growing to do?

Urbosa speaks up first, “Yunobo is it?” She walks towards the stranger slowly, her height rivalling his only barely. For the first time, Link realizes that he must seem comparatively very short to everyone else in their saving the world squad. Even Revali, who Link peaks up at quickly in passing thought, holds almost a head’s worth of height over him. Thinking like this makes him miss Mipha. She’d understand.

Link is brought out of his musings when a gentle wing pushes him forward to help Urbosa form a ring of interrogation around the young Goron.

“How is our old friend? We have not spoke with him in some time,” Urbosa asks, her voice gentle. Link looks up at her, knowing that for all her effort, there is just something instinctively impressive about her that can’t be shut off. Closing in on Yunobo obviously isn’t helping the poor guy’s nerves, but Link doesn’t have the heart to tell Urbosa to tone it down any. She had been close to Daruk in a way none of the others had been. She’s trying her best.

Somehow Yunobo is able to stammers out, “H-He’s…Well I _think_ he’s good. He s-said he’d do my old job…while I’m gone. He’s helping Boss. But that’s why I’m here! W-we need your help!”

Revali nods along understandingly and Link frowns. This obviously has to do with the Divine Beast, which is amazingly convenient. But in any case, they can go over these details at another time. Link steps back slowly, tapping Revali’s shoulder to get his attention. He points down at Impa’s house and Revali nods, giving him all the permission he needs to carry on with their earlier plan.

However, Link barely separates from the group before Yunobo stammers out, “He-hey! Are you really not going to hear me out?” Link turns on his heel, giving an annoyed look back. He probably seems rude, but he has something he came here specifically for. He isn’t ready to start planning to take on another Beast just yet… Ugh, the thought makes him a little sick actually.

“I know you want to go talk to Lady Impa, and it is important. But let’s listen to what Yunobo has to say. Humor him,” Urbosa says, hand on her hip. Link glares up at her, but she has a knowing smile and how do you reasonably fight against that? Begrudgingly, Link stays put, ears attentive.

Revali turns to Yunobo, wings cross, “You do mean that you’re requesting help with your Divine Beast, correct?” When Yunobo starts to give his affirmative, Revali cuts him off, “Of course you are, see I also need help with _my_ Divine Beast. Which is why I returned back to Link’s heel, and wait patiently for my own turn to use the Sheikah Slate. Things have changed a lot around here since Daruk left: priorities changed. Do not assume what Daruk told you about us will be true. We aren’t nearly as uncaring of the situation as he seemed to think we were when he stormed off all those weeks ago.”

“O-of course not, I’d never-“

“And another thing,” Revali continues, “We were already planning on finding Daruk to help him with this. But it’s great to know that he isn’t being stubborn about accepting our help.” Revali stops, a smug grin on his face. Yunobo deflates visibly.

Urbosa crosses her arms with a frown aimed Revali’s way. “You know, you could have let him beg first.”

Link rolls his eyes and then makes exaggerated motions towards the house again. He really wants to hear what Impa has to say about this all-important camera rune that she had wanted them to get. Urbosa lets out a sigh and waves him off. Revali follows closely behind Link as he marches off down to the village.

She looks over at Yunobo sympathetically. “ _I_ still want to hear what you have to say, if that’s any consolation.”

Confused, Yunobo considers her before giving her a small smile and shrugs, “Better than no one. I-I expected a lot worse honestly.”

 Down in front of Lady Impa’s hut, Link slows his stride. Behind him he can hear Revali catch up some and when they start to climb the stairs his talons clack on the old wood. Link knocks and a young voice tells them to enter.

Inside is the familiar face of Impa, who smiles warmly up at them as they enter. Papaya faces away from them with a rag in hand, scrubbing at a large ball that rests on a pile of pillows much like Impa’s.

“I take it your journey was fruitful,” Impa says thoughtfully, her eyes ever knowledgeable. Link nods and moves closer so that he can show her the screen of the Slate. Revali stands politely by Link’s side as Link sits by Impa casually. She smiles when Link flips to the camera roll where several images are saved. Though she looks perplexed at the image of Purah, Link reassures her that Purah is okay. It gives her a chuckle that Purah is still up to her experiments even after all these years.

Then Impa looks serious once more, “As I am sure you have noticed, there are a series of images on the Sheikah Slate that must not be deleted. As the Princess Zelda was the one to use the camera most studiously all that time ago, I am sure she must have took them. When you were her knight, Link, I am sure you must have also have been in these places with her. Maybe if you were to return to them, you could recover some of those lost memories?”

The talk of memories catches Revali’s attention and he makes it a point to stick his beak over Link’s shoulder. Sure enough, on the camera roll are several well-framed pictures of scenic locations. Presumably from all over Hyrule. One of which contains an image of the Divine Beast Vah Medoh.

“That’s my Divine Beast there,” Revali points out with wing tip, “That place must be near the Rito Village. There’s a shrine there too, so we should defiantly go there whenever we can.” Link nods.

“Wonderful,” Lady Impa smiles at the two boys, “Whenever you find your first memory of the Princess, please return. I’ll have something waiting for you.”

Pleasantly surprised with their new goal, Link and Revali leave the hut while still looking over the images.

“That one is by the Dueling Peaks, and this one I believe is close to Gerudo City.”

“Town,” Link frowns.

“Right. Town.”

Link stops once in the middle of the road, and frowns up at Revali, “Did you remember a lot when you went to Rito Village?”

Turning to stop beside Link, Revali thought about it before shaking his head, “No. I wouldn’t say seeing it alone was what jogged my memory. Even now, my memories of my time there are spotty. But talking to the other Rito helped. Not to mention the letter.”

“Right,” Link frowns, looking back down at the screen.

“…I don’t remember Zelda either, you know,” Link looks back up as Revali tilts his head up, wings crossed. “We don’t _need_ to remember her to help her though. We’re doing this for everyone’s sake. So don’t get caught up in finding these memories. We need to be focused on saving Hyrule first.”

Link swallows and nods, the Slate heavy in his hands. Revali’s right, they don’t have to know anything about Zelda to help her. He wipes his thumb over the pictures, bringing one up by accident. It would be nice if he could remember her though. Just in case. There is no guarantee that they will all get a chance to catch up.

Wanting to distract the Hylian, Revali looks around for something else for them to focus on. Up on the mountain he can see Urbosa and Yunobo dangling their legs over the cliff’s edge. They seem to be pretty deep in a heavy conversation by now. The only other people around seem to be the guards and a painter, who has been working on the visage of Lady Impa’s home now for…..well an awfully long time now. He was here when they first visited the village.

The artist looks up, as if feeling Revali’s eyes on him, and greets him with a wide smile.

“Strange seeing a Rito so far from Rito Village! Does that mean skies have cleared yet?”

Link looks up at the sound and now there’s no way to get out of this weird small talk. Revali wants to groan when Link walks over to look at the painter’s canvas.

“Not yet,” Revali admits as he follows Link. On the canvas is a….most abstract visage. Lady Impa’s house sits in front the waterfall, a stylish image immersed in a swirling pattern.

“Shame. Hopefully someone will take care of those Divine Beasts,” He speaks then more so to Link, tilting his head friendly-like, “They have been problematic for more than a couple of fortnights now. Make getting to the more scenic towns a bit dangerous.”

“I’d bet,” Revali says drily.

“So you two must be travelers, yes?” Link nods his head and the artist continues, “Well, just a trade secret from one fellow traveler to you two: they say there is a Great Fairy Fountain somewhere near here. But the local people are so skittish of outsiders, they’ll never tell you where it is…..I hear it’s breathtakingly beautiful though.”

“That so?” Revali asks, egging the stranger on more for Link’s sake than his own.

The artist perks up, “Yes. Aesthetics aside, they say the place can bestow some kind of mysterious power on people… That’s all I’ve been able to find out about it, but if I come across anything new, I’ll let you know!” The artist then turns back to his canvas, and puts a paintbrush handle in his mouth in favor of picking up a new paintbrush.

Link is already scrawling away at his map on the Slate before they even move two feet away from the guy.

Revali rolls his eyes, “Are you really going to look for that as well? It’s not like we really have the time to look around for every little hole in the wall we’re told about.” Link laughs at that, shaking his head. He’s pulling Revali along by his wing now, looking like he wants to run.

“We’ve seen it already! Come on!”

“What really?!”

The boys start a healthy jog, going back up the mountain, Revali following Link blindly. When they reach the shrine, Revali has to take a full stop to take some even breathes. Link paps quickly on Urbosa’s shoulder, rising a small smile out of her.

“What is it?”

Excited for the new adventure, Link pulls on her arm, “Remember that giant throny plant we saw on the way to Zora’s Domain?”

Urbosa lets him drag her up, slightly surprised that he was able to lift her easily, “The giant thorn-? Oh, yes, of course. We stayed away from it. Why, is it important?”

“What’s going on?” Yunobo asks, watching the Champions cautiously. Urbosa waves him to come join them as they are already walking away.

“I think it’s a Fairy Fountain!” Link smiles up at her. He’s slowed his stride considerably, letting Urbosa take it at her own pace. Revali is at least grateful for that. His sides hurt already.

Yunobo speaks up, closing in on the back of the group, “I’ve heard of those! They’re just a myth though, right? No one’s spotted one in ages.” Urbosa grins back at Yunobo, shaking her head.

Revali isn’t sure what he expected before they arrived, but he guesses he just didn’t think Link’s description of the Fountain would be so…literal.

“It’s a giant…bud,” Yunobo supplies unhelpfully.

The Champions move forward, inspecting the bud further. Tiny fairies fly lazily around the area, and they make sure to scoop them up carefully before they get too close.

Revali frowns saying, “Yes, it would seem so. Do you think we will have to wait for it to bloom?”

“What does a Fairy Fountain do, anyway?” Urbosa speaks up, having already wandered around to the back of the bud.

It’s only when Link climbs up the pile of glowing mushrooms, a task no one else advised on, that a mystical voice speaks. Her voice is low, but gracious. “Boy… Sweet boy… Please… Listen to my story…”

Everyone pulls as close as they can to the base of the mushrooms, listening intently.

Link looks back at the group, looking a little spooked, but the others urge him on. He gives a nervous laugh and then shrugs while answering back, “Sure.”

“I am the Great Fairy, Cotera… This place was once a beautiful spring…” The bud moves as the Great Fairy talks, “But as time passed, fewer and fewer travelers arrived to offer me rupees. As a result, my power has abandoned me.”

Urbosa and Revali look to each other, a sneer on their faces. Unwilling to interrupt though, they keep their thoughts to themselves.

“I’m nearly powerless now, so I beg your help. I need rupees to become whole again. All I need is 100 rupees… Once my power is returned, I can do great things, boy.” A white hand, larger than Link himself, emerges from the bud: surprising the lot. Impressively, Link looks almost unfazed. “Now… If you have rupees, hand them over to me. Quickly! In order for me to regain my power, I need 100 rupees.” Her hand waits expectantly, dangling before Link.

He looks back at the group, eyes urgent. Revali isn’t sure about just giving a strange entity his well-earned money, but Urbosa and Yunobo are already pulling up their wallets to pay up. Before the Great Fairy can get impatient, they’re handing over the rupees to Link, who then counts them up again before dropping them into her hand.

Her hand moves fast, snatching the rupees and pulling her closed fist back in her bud with shocking speed.

“Thank you…” Her low voice rings out, “You are too kind…”

The bud undulates now, a purple vapor rises from out of the center of the top.

“Ahh…” Cotera’s voice sighs out. Revali can feel his face heat up from the tone. “The power… Is overflowing…” She moans and the petals of the bud fall open. Everyone covers their mouth as the purple fumes fall out. For awhile, all there is to see is sparkle and purple mist.

Then they can hear the sound of water bubbling, and then, from the center of the newly-bloomed flower, the Great Fairy rises. Her form is enormous, and it makes water from inside the spring splash out. Sparkling water glances off of her white clothes and shiny silver jewelry. She only rises out of the water up to her waist, but her hair reaches up well past the tree line. Her hands look like they could only reach a little further to graze the clouds. Slowly, she finds a comfortable position to rest along the lip of the spring. One can’t help but be thankful, for if she were to rise out of the spring completely: her sheer size would be entirely terrifying.

 This way it is only mildly terrifying.

Cotera moans again as she settles, and then takes a good look at the full party before her. A sly smile finds itself easily on her face, and she only partially hides it with one of her hands.

“Oh, what a feeling! That first breath of fresh air after an eternity of decay… It’s just so intoxicating! Thanks to you, I have been returned to my former glory. And as they say: one good turn deserves another. I can help you, boy.”

Revali’s feathers bristle, but it seems the Great Fairy is giving them no mind.

“Allow me to enhance your clothing. It’s the least I can do, but I will need the necessary materials… With the power available to me… I should be able to enhance your clothing a little bit.”

“What about us, oh Great Fairy?” Urbosa speaks up, making her Greatness look back to the trio gathered below Link.

“Oh…” she says flatly before she fixes her voice into a very professional tone, so vastly unlike her teasing lilt she had been using with Link, “Each pilgrim must pay their own individual fee for my services. Along with the same stipulations I have given to this…” The fairy gives a small smile and a wink to Link, “ _darling_ boy here,” her voice goes flat again as she adds, “No rupees? No materials? No services. Now, one at a time please.” 

“You’re kidding…” Revali grumbles. However, the Great Fairy has already returned all of her adoring attention back to Link.

Link starts pulling out his outfits and the group spreads out after that. Yunobo stays by the mushrooms to watch the Great Fairy, while Urbosa and Revali look for materials around the area that might have some use. During one of his patrols of the area, Revali waits for Cotera to become completely distracted by Link in a disgusting show of affection. While she is distracted, he eases the stealthy mask up onto the pile of clothes Link had formed by his feet. Not to mention a couple bundles of nightshade and a jar of fireflies. Just in case.

When he’s done messing around with Cotera, Link hops off the platform. This signals everyone else to gather up, but before they leave, Link has them wait. Cotera still leans against the lip of the spring, probably waiting for someone else to come pay her. Link climbs back up to her surprise and pulls the Sheikah Slate. Quietly, the others watch as he asks to let him take her picture.

Excited over the cute display of technology, Cotera agrees and then poses while Link runs to the other side of the area to try to fit her into frame. She then pouts in thought though, saying, “Wait, why don’t you have one of your little friends do it? You should sit up here with me!” She pats the mushroom stools enthusiastically. Link flinches, but Urbosa is already running over to him to take the camera.

“Don’t want to displease the lady,” Urbosa says gleefully as she snags the Slate. Link gives her an evil eye, but then smiles uncertainly at Cotera as he approaches. Cotera scooches down into the water of the pool more so that she can rest her head on her folded arms. Link crawls up the mushrooms and stands awkwardly, a smile plastered on his face, until the picture is taken.

Quickly, he climbs off then before Cotera can fuss over him anymore. She gives him heartfelt goodbyes as the group all heads back to the village.

With a snort, Urbosa reviews the image on the Slate before handing it back to Link. With a groan, Link looks at his awkward pose and tries to put it away, but Revali won’t let him. In a flash, he has his dirty feathers all over the screen, making Link wish that he never taught any of the other Champions how to use it in the first place.

Yunobo can be found watching them with amusement, laughing outright when Revali swipes the Slate. “You guys really get along well, huh? I can’t believe Daruk thought you would be hostile.”

“Neither can I,” Urbosa says, a little too earnestly for the light-hearted mood that was going around. However, the two bickering boys beside them don’t hear, leaving the awkward moment just between Urbosa and Yunobo. The young Goron pats Urbosa’s arm reassuringly.

“I have to go take this picture down to that artist,” Link says suddenly. He doesn’t sound very happy about it though.

Revali grins, “Have to show your latest conquests to everyone, don’t you? Well, don’t let us stop you. I’m sure he’ll get a kick out of it.”

Face bright red, Link storms off, making the avian snicker as they all watch him go.

Yunobo frowns, “There he goes again. He does plan to come to Eldin, right?” His searching eyes lock back onto Urbosa.

Urbosa gives a reassuring smile, “We have all been meaning to, and it is something we have talked about often. Don’t you worry, we’ll help keep your village safe.” This makes Yunobo relax some, and soon Revali has them wrapped up in a hunting trip to resupply themselves.

When Link makes a bee line for the artist, he is greeted by that easy smile again. The painting on the canvas doesn’t look any different from how it looked before. “Hey, kid. Nice day out right?”

Link nods and with his Slate already out, turns the screen towards the artist.

Looking down at it, the artist squints before his eyes widen. “Are you saying that’s the Great Fairy Fountain? Wow… I always thought it would be more…elegant. To think you’ve been so lucky. Look at her, she is extraordinary.” That’s one way to describe her.

The artist continues, pattering on, “I’ve been all over Hyrule and never have I seen anything like that. Oh, name’s Pikango. I owe you that at least. Thank you so much for showing me the Great Fairy.”

Link smiles, feeling better about the picture in Pikango’s easy conversation. “My name’s Link…” Link swipes through the images, maybe thinking on deleting the one he took with the Great Fairy. Before he can go back to do so, he runs back into Zelda’s latest entry. It’s a picture of a heavily forested area.

He frowns and looks back up at Pikango, who has taken back to painting his canvas.

“Pikango?” Link asks hesitantly. Pikango hums in acknowledgement, so Link continues, “I have some places that I am looking to visit. Could you tell me where to find them?”

“Well, I am well-traveled. Where are you looking to go?” Link turns the screen back to him, and Pikango studies the forest area before shaking his head. “That doesn’t look like anything nearby.” Link swipes the screen to show an image of a stone path with a great archway. “Oh, that’s just east. Can’t mistake the Lanayru Road for anything else. You go up towards the local shrine and then past it to where the mountains create a natural fork in the road. Keep going straight on the right side and you should see that area if you go far enough.”

Link quickly pulls up the map to mark the general area Pikango described with a marker, before he gives him a quick thanks. Then he’s off again. Up and down and up and down. Hopefully there are some shrines to do on the way.

Yunobo, after scaring the deer twice in a row, is banned from the hunting trip. He doesn’t really mind, it was really boring anyway. But who knew calling on the Champions would take so much waiting around? Luckily for him, Link pops up along the path towards the shrine, looking like he’s on a mission. Really going places.

The little Hylian pauses, looking confused, before he steps up to Yunobo. “Where are Revali and Urbosa?”

“They went hunting. I was going to go with, but I kept scaring the game…”

“Just past the Fairy Fountain?” Link asks, barely sticking around to notice Yunobo’s affirmative before taking off again. Yunobo makes a weak attempt to make him stay before Link is already gone.

The young Goron sighs, sitting down in a heap by the shrine’s base. Head in hand, he mumbles, “Great. At this pace, we won’t get back until next year. Poor Boss,” Yunobo lets out another disappointed sigh, “Maybe Lord Daruk was right about him…”

Link runs again, more excitement pumping in him again. He had things he could do, and memories he could find. Daruk can wait a little longer.

He comes to the fork in the road and looks down the left path where Revali and Urbosa probably went down. It’s hard to see from here, but he knows from their last trip down with Mipha: there’s a large deer herd further along.

Along the right side though, Link knew a memory of his time as a knight waited for him. He bites the inside of his mouth, contemplating. It isn’t a question of if he’s going after it, but whether he’ll have enough time too before Revali and Urbosa notice he’s gone.

He pulls out the Sheikah Slate again, and tries to justify the distance between here and there. If it only takes this long to get to here, then that means it’ll only take…

Yeah, who’s he even trying to kid right now?

Link takes off down toward Lanayru Road.

Later on, Urbosa and Revali walk back up their side of the fork, laden with meats. In between them is a colorful friend who agreed to come eat with them back at the village. He is a Rito, much broader than Revali and with the feather coloring of a parrot. The day itself has grown rather late by now, and the sun hides behind the tops of the mountains surrounding them.

As they walk, their new friend plays his accordion, playing traditional Rito songs that make Revali’s heart sing. There is a gentle happiness in the group as they chatter on. No talk of world-endings, nor of responsibilities towards the safety of all. Just a relaxed, flowing conversation over music and hunting.

Revali and Urbosa smile knowingly when their new friend gawks over the newly opened Fairy Fountain.

When they reach the shrine, Yunobo is nowhere in sight. They only find the young Goron when they go all the way down to the general store. The pot looks like it is charred black, and Yunobo is finishing off a bone when he greets the hunters. It is too late to trade at the store, so everyone gathers around the pot.

“And who might you be?” their new friend asks as he takes a seat farther back from the pot.

“My name’s Yunobo. What’s yours?”

“Kass. Are you a friend of these two wonderful people?”

Urbosa gives a smug smile and shoves Kass playfully for his compliments. Which he can’t seem to turn off after making quick acquaintanceships with her and Revali earlier.

Yunobo hesitates, but Revali answers back, beak in his storage, “Yes, he’s the...son? Of a friend.” Revali looks up, tilting his beak at Yunobo. “That is how that works, correct?”

Kass tsks, “Revali, you can’t ask delicate questions like that over a cooking pot.”

Urbosa leans back, getting her kicks, “Yeah, lil Revs, where’s your decorum?”

Kass tilts his beak at Urbosa then, “I might as well be in Rito Village, hearing all of this chirp over nothing.”

Yunobo laughs, but Revali then looks around, having put the ingredients in the pot to cook. “Where did the boy of prophecy go?”

“That’s a cute nickname for a lover. I’ll have to remember that,” Kass says, actually pulling out what looks to be a notebook. Urbosa cackles, making Kass smile tentatively. Revali, however, looks like he’s broken down.

Yunobo waves a hand in front of Revali’s face, bring Revali back to focus. “That is not-!”

However, Urbosa straightens up, “No, you’re right. Where is Link? Do you know, Yunobo?”

“No, I thought he went off to find you guys.”

“I see…” Urbosa says, looking up at the moon, “Hope he comes back soon. It’s gets dangerous out, this late at night.” She leans over the pot then, inspecting the food there. “Looks like foods done. Wouldn’t you say, Revali?”

“We could maybe let it sit a little longer…”

“Right, don’t want it to go cold before your lover comes back.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yooo, we're back. We're on track. We're taking a late night snack. And Link is being a brat. So nothing has changed basically. 
> 
> Sorry for the little pause, but I hope you guys like this chapter. It's kinda cute I think.  
> We'll have our next update next Tuesday. I swear this time :'D
> 
> Have a good week guys! See ya later~  
> Edit: thank you SoulStealer1987 for helping me realize I spelled Kass's name wrong on the original post! Of all of the things I check, I didn't even question it on the proofread.....


	16. Hateno

The scenery of the old Lanayru Road is beautiful to be sure. Even with broken down masonry, the road is breathtaking. Link can’t help but to stop sometimes just to look at the high pillars that encompass the belly of the canyon he’s in.  

Trying to stay to the road is a task in itself. Many times, Link has to jump or even swim to cross the distance where the stone path had broken away. And of course, like everywhere else in Hyrule, monsters litter the area. Bokoblin and Moblins secure the stone pathway, giving Link plenty of trouble on even ground. About halfway along the path, Link starts to notice Lizalfos in the water. Waiting for any fool traveler to slip into their domain.

After he dispatches the nearby Bokoblin, Link looks up at what is probably the most beautiful part of Lanayru Road. Just across the open water, a waterfall pours over the lip of the highlands. More walking paths lace themselves along the sides of the mountains over there, some of which may have even had overhanging shade. What kind of place did this use to be?

A weird glare of orange glints off the waterfalls surface. Link squints at it, and looks around to see if he can find the source. Pretty odd, if he didn’t know better, he’d say that it’s the same orange of an unopened shrine…

But there’s no shrine in sight.

An idea strikes him, and Link pulls out the Zora Armor. In between his fingers the fabric is incredibly silky. He never did get to try the full extent of the power it grants. Now is as good of time as any.

It isn’t too late by the time that he uses up his arrows on the Lizalfos. Changed into his Zora chest piece, he swims out onto the platforms perched out in the open water. He even finds a Korok seed before he looks up at his newest objective. He dips back into the water.

Swimming against the current turns out to be effortless in his new shirt, and Link rejoices. However, he is caught off-guard when he is somehow swept up against the flow of the waterfall. Before he can get a handle of what is happening, he is projected high into the area above the falls. He has to rush to pull out his paraglider, or else feel the pain of falling several stories from the air onto hard ground.

Link floats, trying to see if there is a way behind the waterfall. It’s his last guess at maybe finding out what that orange light is. It’s too hard to see from this high though. He glides down to one of the crumbling walking paths along the wall of the waterfall. Looking around, he finds a suspicious cavern entrance almost parallel to where he had seen the orange glow.

He climbs down, careful of crumbling rock. His fingers hurt and he’s tense all over, but Link finds himself on a pathway again. Pulling his latest weapon, a spear taken from a Lizalfos just a little bit ago, Link pushes on into the cavern with caution. However, as he walks further he lowers his spear. The Dow Na’eh Shrine rests just inside this hole in the wall. To the left, Link can see the water from the waterfall rushing past. It’s actually kind of cozy.

Rock deposits in the area mean that Link will actually have something to sell when he gets back to the village. Smiling, Link blows them apart with his bomb rune. He could stand to run across more of these.  The shrine itself doesn’t take long to figure out, and Link is in and out in no time. When he exits the cavern, the sun still hasn’t gotten below the mountain tops. There’s still time today to find the memory.

So he jumps, gilding back down to the stone path. There aren’t that many Bokoblins left, so it’s another swift set of battles before it’s all over. He can finally reach the end.

Link pulls out his Slate and quickly swipes to the picture of the Lanayru Road. Looking up, he looks for the specific arch that had been captured in the image. It takes a little shifting, a step or two to the side to find that perfect angle, but when he holds up the Slate again: it’s the exact same place as on the screen. Mount Lanayru stands proud in the distance.

_The march was ceaseless, walking and walking. Up and down Mt. Lanayru. All in the search for something… His gut hurt just thinking about it. They still couldn’t find it…_

_Daruk, Revali, Mipha and Urbosa waited under the arch of the Lanayru Road for them._

_“Well? Don’t keep us in suspense. How’d everything go up there on the mountain?” Daruk said, his face engraved with worry._

_Zelda and Link walked through the group, and the Champions moved around Zelda as she stopped in her tracks. Sad faced, Zelda shook her head. No one looked shocked, but no one was happy either._

_Revali, quick to talk, asked, “So you didn’t feel anything? No power at all?”_

_Ashamed, Zelda bent her head down as she answered again, “I’m sorry, no.”_

_“Then let’s move on,” Urbosa spoke up, “You’ve done all you could. Feeling sorry for yourself won’t be of any help. After all, it’s not like your last shoot was up there on Mt. Lanayru. Anything could help spark the power to seal Ganon away. We just have to keep looking for that…thing.”_

_“That’s kind of you. Thank you…”_

_Silently, Link watched the response of the others. Zelda kept her head down, she has been downtrodden about this the whole way down. She won’t be easy to reconcile now._

_Surprisingly, Mipha stepped up, her voice soothing, “If I may… I thought you… Well, I’m not sure how to put this into words… I’m actually quite embarrassed to say it. But I was thinking about what I do when I’m healing. You know, what usually goes through my mind…” Her voice started to stutter, “It helps when I think- When I think about-“_

_Then the ground shook, as if there was an earthquake. Mipha lost her balance, as did many of the others. Zelda looked like she was about to just fall straight over, so Link grabbed her arm to steady her. Instantly, Revali was in the air._

_A horrible groaning roar could be heard across the land. The earth wouldn’t stop shaking._

_Revali landed right beside Urbosa as she said it, those two terrible words, “It’s here.”_

_“This is it then…” Daruk said, squaring his shoulders._

_“Are you sure?” Mipha asked._

_Revali answered, “Positive.”_

_Zelda, scared like the rest, watched as purple mist spread overhead, “It’s awake…Ganon.” Link noticed her back up as lightening started to flash in the mists._

_Daruk, always ready, started barking orders, “Let’s stop wasting time! We’re gonna need everything we’ve got to take that thing down. Now Champions! To your Divine Beasts! Show that swirling swine who’s boss! Link will need to meet Ganon head on when we attack! This needs to be a unified assault!_

_Little guy! You get to Hyrule Castle. You can count on us for support. But it’s up to you to pound Ganon into oblivion!”_

_Urbosa walked over to Zelda then to put her hands on the Princess’s shoulders, “Come. We should go. We need to get you some place safe.”_

_The Princess shook out of Urbosa’s hands as she answered back, “No! I’m not a child anymore! I may not be that much use on the battlefield… But there must… There must be something I can do to help!”_

Link gasps as his eyes open up wide. Frowning, he looks back down at the Slate. That was weird, not like the other memories. He feels like he was just pulled out of a trance of some kind.

That aside… Assuming by the chronology of the pictures in the Sheikah Slate, that was one of the last things to happen before Ganon took over. There’s only one more picture left… But why would Zelda take a picture of the woods during the apocalypse?

More importantly, there’s so much information to go over from the memory. They went into this almost blind… Zelda didn’t have her powers when the attack first took off. Is that why they all died?

Head swirling, Link takes a seat on the ground. They all died because she couldn’t save them. She didn’t have the power to yet.

But they’re here now… And she’s in the castle, containing Ganon with her.

This is the first time Link has ever seen Zelda’s face; he is shocked to think it. She is so young. Maybe even younger than he is. Was. He isn’t that young anymore. Letting the Slate rest in his lap, Link looks at his hands. It hasn’t been that long since he woke up, but already some thin calluses cover his fingers and palms. Surely he had more back then. He had been a knight for so long.

Squeezing his eyes shut, Link tries to remember the memory. Over and over, he goes over the details of the conversation. What the Champions looked like back then. Even their voices sounded different then to what they sound like now. Mipha sounded so shy, so timid… Yet Urbosa stood even straighter, commanded even more presence. In comparison, she suffered a huge loss of self after the resurrection…

And Revali, he’s a hard one to compare. He sounds…maybe posher in the past? It is so hard to tell. The circumstance of Ganon’s reawakening seemed to have subdued Revali’s boisterous self into something more serious than Link knows him to be.

Zelda… He didn’t look at her very much when they came back down the mountain. The most they interacted was when he steadied her from falling over. It really drove home that he really was completely mute by the end of it all. He hadn’t spoken up once. Didn’t stand by Zelda really at all as she gave the bad news. He was separate from all of this. There, but… He didn’t want to be. He just had to be. It was his job.

His duty.

A small voice calls in the distance, invading his thoughts. “Link…” That’s…that’s Zelda’s voice. Zelda hasn’t spoken to him in ages. Link looks up to the sky, not sure how to address her. No white light shines. “Link…” In the sky, the clouds rush past. Red haze gathers, and just over the mountain top Link can see the moon. His eyes widen.

“Be on your guard… Ganon’s power grows…it rises to its peak under the hour of the blood moon. By its glow, the aimless spirits of the monsters slain in the name of the light return to flesh. Link…please be careful.”

Behind him, Link can hear the sound of puffs of air. Daring to turn around, his face falls into a hardened frown as he sees all of the monsters he had slain earlier…just walking around. Going about their earlier objectives. Whatever those could be.

But then he realizes Zelda had stopped talking, and he looks back up frantically. He isn’t sure what it is that he could say to her. But there had to be something! The moon hangs higher now in the air, full as can be. No longer red. Link has a feeling that calling out for Zelda wouldn’t do much good.

She probably has to maintain her strength anyway. Maybe…hopefully she’ll reach out again.

He hopes he’ll get the chance to hear her again.

Knowing he’s been gone for way too long, he picks up the Sheikah Slate and teleports back to Ta’Loh Naeg Shrine. His stomach hurts and he realizes he hasn’t eaten anything…basically all day. He got so wrapped up in all of the helpful stuff that Pikango had said. He’ll have to make up for all the energy he exerted by eating a big meal. Link smiles. Not a bad day, all things considering.

At the communal pot, Revali is leaning over on his wing, looking the picture of boredom. Another Rito sits on the log with an accordion between his wings. The stranger notices Link first and pulls one of his wings out to wave. This catches Revali’s attention and when he looks up Link notices something soft before Revali narrows his eyes. Uh oh.

“Great of you to finally show up,” Revali says as Link approaches the pot. Something smells good.

“So this is the friend we’re waiting up on, yes?” The stranger asks.

“Yes, this would be Link.”

Link smiles uncertainly, not sure what to do. The pot is obviously in use. Maybe he’ll have to bother Urbosa to use their spare… He was kind of hoping to not have to do that.

The stranger smiles, “I am Kass, a traveling musician. I travel Hyrule wide and far, spreading the songs of a legend, long passed.”

“His music really is something else,” Revali says with a little strain to his voice.

“Have you ate yet? We saved some dinner for you,” Kass offers, pointing to the pot. Link’s eyes widen comically.

Revali crosses his wings as he adds, “Not that you deserve it. You should know that being out at night only invites trouble.” Link rolls his eyes at that as he happily takes out his bowl and scoops some of the soup out of the pot. Pumpkin and venison.

Kass eyes Link, pointing out, “He’s right, you know. Especially a night like tonight. Scary things happen on the night of a blood moon.”

“That red haze? Was that it?” Revali asks, beak whipping around to face Kass.

“You didn’t know?” Kass asks, eyebrows raising in concern. “It is only the night when all of the monsters that were killed are brought back to life. No one is sure how it happens exactly. Only that it is a real threat, not something to take as a nesting tale. Yes, the red haze is a part of all of that. I only stay out with you now because we can fly if need be. Did you really not know?”

“No I hadn’t…” Revali says, letting his voice stay low. He’s eyeing Link dangerously now, and Link tries not to notice as he has a tough time swallowing around a chunk of pumpkin. He coughs a couple times before it goes down. “We will be sure to keep that in mind from now on. Right, Link?” Link nods meekly and Revali turns back to Kass. “We’re sorry if we caused you any concern from our ignorance. Though some of us are more to blame than others. I apologize for keeping you outside in these conditions.”

Kass actually laughs, standing up slowly. “It is no concern. Anything for a friend. However, it is getting late, I should head to bed. I’m sure you too have…some things to catch up on. I bid you good night.” Kass pats Revali’s shoulder and Revali says good night back as the bigger Rito passes by.

It all looks…startlingly intimate. Something Link isn’t used to Revali being with anyone outside of the Champions. Or really, outside of just…the two of them. What the hell.

Revali’s half-smile drops when he turns his head back to see Link staring at him. “…What is it?”

Link catches himself and raises his eyebrows and hands. Trying to seem like he had no investment what so ever in…whatever that just was. Revali falls back and crosses his wings as he looks across at Link.

“So did you find it?” Link looks up at Revali and then back down at his bowl. He needs more soup. “Did you find one of the places in the camera roll?”

Link nods as he grabs for the ladle in the pot again.

“I thought that was what you went to do. When Yunobo said you went off after us… It isn’t like you to get lost.” Link shrugs, filling his bowl with the rest of the soup. “Urbosa was worried about you. After awhile, she wanted to go search for you. In case a monster camp got the best of you. I said not to worry about it. That I’d wait up for you.”

This has Link looking back up at Revali guiltily. Upsetting Urbosa is the last thing anyone wants to do. “Did you tell her…?”

Revali shakes his head with a laugh, “No, if I had we would have gone off to look for you. For someone so against all this recollection stuff, she’s been pretty invested in it nowadays.”

Link huffs a laugh, ladling more soup into his mouth.

Putting a wing under his beak, Revali sighs, “I know you aren’t going to just tell me, like a reasonable person, so I must ask: did you remember anything? Did you remember what she’s like? What was life like serving her?”

Link pauses chewing, thinking on it. That’s a lot to ask of one memory. And can what his roll in the whole memory be called an act of servitude? No, not really… He was just there. A bystander.

Link swallows his mouthful and starts stirring his soup. “She’s… We were all there. At the road’s end. All of the Champions had gone with her I guess.” Link notices that Revali’s wearing the scarf that he was wearing in the memory. He squints at it, the colors subdued in the firelight, but definitely the same. “You were wearing that scarf. That same one.”

Revali picks at the scarf, not seeming surprised. “I got this from the Rito Village. They were holding onto it, since it marked me as one of Hyrule’s Champions. I suppose we were all wearing something similar?”

Link nods and then stops to think, wait that isn’t entirely true. “Zelda wasn’t wearing it though. She had on a dress. It was white, with gold around her waist.” Link stops to think about it before he adds, “Her outfit didn’t make sense. We walked a lot for her to wear something so pretty.”

“Maybe you carried her. You were her knight,” Revali smirked.

That idea doesn’t fit though. Link didn’t remember that kind of muscle pain. Nor does he think Zelda the kind to ask that much, even with how little he knows about her. Link shook his head as he continued to eat thoughtfully.

“So what were we doing? I mean, besides looking stylish as mortally possible.”

Link chuckles as he scrapes the bottom of his bowl. His mouth twitches when he remembers the memory’s ending, and he sets the bowl down abruptly. Looking up, Revali’s giving him his full attention.

“There was something on Mt. Lanayru… Something Princess Zelda was looking for to unlock her powers. But she couldn’t do it. I remember walking with her back to the end of Lanayru Road. That’s where you guys were…” Revali leans in as Link pauses, and Link knows he can’t just stop there.

Eyes lowered, Link folds into himself as he continues, “After we all came together…that’s where we were when the Calamity hit.” Revali’s breath hitches and Link’s knuckles go white as he grips onto the fabric around his elbows. “Ganon was at the castle and we had all of the Divine Beasts and my sword…but she didn’t have her powers.”

“There was no way we could have sealed Ganon away then…” Revali breathes out, eyes wide. He leans back again, looking loose to the bone. Revali looks up at the sky. “We all died…because it was a suicide mission from the start.”

Link’s brow creases, but he doesn’t disagree.

Seeming to just be rambling now, Revali continues, “But Ganon’s sealed at the castle now… So she must have gotten her powers at some point… I wonder if it was during the battle...” It must have been.

“Urbosa didn’t want her to fight, but Zelda said she had to be there. I don’t know what happened after that. I probably went to the castle. It’s where Daruk told me to go.”

“Do you think Princess Zelda went with you? To the fight?” Revali asks, lowering his head to look at Link.

Link shrugs, his eyes moving to the side. “Maybe.”

“A miracle she didn’t die too.”

“Yeah…”

A small pause drops, and Link thinks that may the end of that discussion. That is, before Revali tilts his beak at Link, asking: “Are you okay?”

Link’s eyes dart to Revali’s and he nods, but wow that’s…not something Revali asks very often. Not that Link often gets to a point where one would want to ask him that but… well actually, Revali was pretty caring when he had been resurrected on Vah Ruta. It must have been a subtle change since then. Link had been too out of it to even question it back then, but…Revali’s changed.

Revali sighs when that’s all the response he gets and he gets up to sit down right next to Link. “You know, it’s okay to say that remembering the rise to Ganon got to you. I can’t think of one person who wouldn’t have been scared.”

Confused, Link squints up at Revali. That…isn’t even the first thing that Link thinks of when he thinks of this new memory. It isn’t even the third thing that he thinks about. It’s something akin to…maybe the last thing? Yeah. Farthest concern he has really. They’ve known this whole time that Ganon rose to power. That he’s big, and misty. Just a big ole dragon, slithering around Hyrule Castle.

So, no, Link didn’t actually get that scared from that.

How do you communicate that to someone else though? Link frowns, looking at his hands then back at Revali, still squinting.

Revali raises an eyebrow, “You were scared…weren’t you?”

Link rises his eyebrows and lets out a steady breath of air. “No. Not of Ganon. Just…had to protect Zelda. That’s…all I was thinking about at the time.”

Revali’s face falls. “Really. You were just having…knight-thoughts, when Calamity came.”

Link nods again in exasperation.

“You weren’t thinking about anything else?” Revali presses, eyes narrowed, “Nobody else that you were worried about? Not even a passing thought about maybe leaving your family behind when you were going into a, and this is a spoiler here, but a fight that was going to end your life? Really, you’re going to try to tell me there was nothing? Just you, your sword, and a Princess you were going to waltz into a terrorized castle with? Just like that?”

Not even noticing it, a tear runs down Link’s face. All Link can do is stare at Revali as he focuses on those questions. Was that all he worried about? At the end of the day with all of their chips on the table, was Princess Zelda his last thought? Maybe even his only thought?

Revali, caught off guard by Link crying, calms down in reflex. It takes a moment for Link to even realize that he _is_ crying before he wipes his own tears in bewilderment. “I…” Revali starts, “I said too much. I shouldn’t have pushed you like that.”

“No…” Link croaks and coughs to clear his throat. “No, your right… That was my only thought…” From his storage, Link pulls out his soldier’s helm. “I wanted this because it reminded me off my dad, but… I didn’t think about him at all…” Tears fall onto the visor.

“Shhhh…” Revali coos, feeling responsible. He rubs his wing along Link’s arm unhelpfully and starts to sway them both. “I’m sure he was safe, Link. Far far away, maybe with the King. I’m sure they were both safe and that’s why no one was worried about them. Right? Right.”

Revali keeps cooing at Link as the little Hylian shakes under his wing. No more tears fall though, as Link works through his confusion. Revali berates himself internally: this is his fault. If he had only kept his beak shut… Link had been fine before.

Link lets out a little breath after awhile, his shaking subsiding. He rubs his thumb through one of the small rivers that drip over the helm on his lap. “Sorry… Didn’t mean to freak out on you…”

“No,” Revali says, squeezing Link’s shoulder, “I pushed and I shouldn’t have. You were fine before I got into it.”

Link raises the helm up then. “No…I hope he was alright at that point, but he was old then. He’s not around anymore either way,” Link tips the helm back into his storage, “I’ve been living with that already. You don’t have to apologize for that.”

“That isn’t what I’m apologizing for…”

“I know…” They stay like that for a moment, stiff as boards. Then Link huffs as he leans into Revali’s side, and Revali rolls his eyes.

“You’re hard to deal with,” Revali reprimands jokingly, squeezing the boy under his wing.

Feeling warm, resting happily in Revali’s side, Link can’t complain. He really isn’t much better than Revali, he guesses. When it comes down to it, they both just have a knack for bringing problems out from nowhere. Link can feel his eye lids grow heavier. Before long, Revali has Link dozing under his wing.

Face warm, Revali frowns down at the mess next to him. Oh, Hylia, has he messed up. He can feel it, in more ways than one. He knew he could be in trouble on the trip to Zora’s Domain. Thought it all ended in Vah Ruta. Then he felt the intense fondness afterwards. Such gratitude. Just being with Link…

It makes Revali feel better. Lighter. Like everything will be okay. Like the fighting will be worth it this time. They’ll be able to blow all the Malice away…and it’ll just be them again. They’ll all get to be free.

Maybe on that day, he’ll take the chance on Link that he kind of wants to take now.

Right now though, their team cooperation means too much in too many ways for Revali to just…risk it at the drop of a whim. He can wait. Being patient may not be his strong suit, Revali thinks as he picks Link up, but it’ll be well worth it if everything works out for the better.

Link sighs absently into Revali’s feathers as he rolls into his wings, making the Rito smile. Yes, it’ll be well worth it in the end.

In the morning, Link scrubs at his eyes. He stretches, unconcerned for a moment about where he is. Only feeling the easy comfort that comes from a good night at the inn. Then he blinks, confused. He must have been really tired when he came in last night. He can’t remember anything from after his late night talk with Revali.

Still wearing his Hylian gear that he was wearing last night, Link fumbles out of the inn. The early morning light is glaring and Link groans audibly at the sting from it. A deep laugh comes from just ahead, accompanied by the sound of a stuttering accordion. Popping his eyes open into slits, he just barely makes out the silhouettes of his group.

“Morning, sleepyhead. Have a rough night?” Urbosa asks, more so teasing than mad sounding. That’s a plus. Link doesn’t know how to respond though so he just shrugs as he falls into the patch of earth beside her.

Yunobo is there, rolling his fingers impatiently along the ground. He seems to be giving Link the stink eye, though for what Link doesn’t know. It doesn’t matter as Revali starts pulling out the eggs he has already fried and offers them up.

“I already told them all of the details you were so willing to tell me from last night,” Revali assures him with an amused grin, making Link prickle. What- “You really did have a wild night, don’t you remember? Though you seemed pretty drunk, so it’s reasonable if you don’t. Kass didn’t notice, but I’ve been around you plenty enough to know it off the beak. Drunk as the day is young when you came crawling back to the cooking pot.”

Link manages to not drop his bowl of eggs as Revali continues, clearly out of his mind, “You really did rattle off a lot of things that you did yesterday with the locals. Though I won’t tell, of course, with young prying ears around.”

Yunobo stiffens then. “What’s that sup-“

“However, we do have responsibilities now in the light of day,” Revali continues, “I hope you aren’t too hungover for travel. We were just talking about maybe taking the trip to Eldin then afterwards, to get Mipha. Mipha would be a dear assist in recovering Daruk’s Divine Beast.”

Urbosa speaks up then over her empty bowl, “You _are_ alright for travel, right?”

Link nods, resigned to living this lie that Revali came up with. He supposes he should be grateful, since now Urbosa probably knows about the blood moon. If she knew he was out in the wilderness last night, she’d probably be mad at him right now. Not that being humiliated is much better.

“Such exciting lives you all live,” Kass says happily, still playing his accordion, “Planning on taking down the Divine Beasts is quite the endeavor. No one since the Champions have ever tried to master their great power.”

“Right,” Revali says pleasantly back to Kass, “You’re thing is that all of your music is based off old legend right? Weren’t you singing about a shrine when we met?”

Kass lights up, “You remembered! Yes, it is about a shrine, lost in time, that legend says that the shrine will one day be revitalized by…mounting some sort of strange beast.”

“I believe that verse is about riding one of the deer in the area,” Revali supplies.

“A crown of bones! Of course, that has to be the beast they say to mount. Very keen, much like that for who you were named after.”

“Oh, was the Rito Champion known for his wit? I haven’t heard those stories,” Revali says slyly, hamming it up. Everything about this morning is confusing for Link. When he looks at Yunobo, he’s at least reassured that he isn’t the most confused person at the pot. Hylia bless the youth.

Being the last up and to finish eating, Link takes it on himself to clean the pot and bowls while the two Ritos chat it up. Not like he wants to hear more of that back and forth anyway.

“So,” Urbosa says leaning down to sit by the creak with Link, “Revali thinks he’s a good liar, and that’s cute. But I want to know why he’s lying. And I want to know now.” _Shit._

Link laughs nervously, scrubbing the pot unnecessarily hard.

“Link.”

“It’s like he said-“

“It really isn’t though,” her tone is dark, “What did you do?”

Link sighs, “I didn’t get the chance to show you yesterday. But Lady Impa said I was with the Princess as her guard at all times. The undeletable pictures in the camera roll were taken by her. Impa suggested I go to the locations to regain some of my memory. I went to one of the places yesterday when you guys went hunting.”

“Oh.”

The pot’s as clean as it gets, so Link shakes it out before placing it on the grass. “Yeah.”

“Why would he lie about that?”

Link shrugs, dunking a bowl in the water. “He said you were upset that I was gone so long. He made it sound like you’d be mad that I was out in a blood moon by myself.”

Urbosa laughs at this, making Link look up at her. She shakes her head as she picks up a bowl to help Link. “That birdbrain…”

“What? You weren’t…?”

“Don’t worry about it. Sure I was, but it’s fine now. Don’t feel like you have to justify it to me.”

And it’s left at that. It doesn’t feel right, and Link wants to somehow pick back up their mess of a conversation between them. But he can’t. He has no idea what Urbosa got out of any of that.

Link puts his bowl into his storage, but Urbosa stops him before they can return to the group.

“Did you at least find a memory when you got there?”

Confused, Link’s mind scrambles as he slumps back down on his knees. Trying to find a good answer, he ends up going with: “Yeah. It wasn’t a good one, but I remembered her. Princess Zelda.”

“What was she like?”

“Sad,” Link answers simply, “We all were. It was the moment that Ganon came back.”

“I see…” Urbosa looks thoughtful for a moment. Then she brushes past whatever thought she had. “Well if you want to talk about the memory more, my ears are open. But we should probably head out. We can’t stay here.”

“Yeah…” Link replies, at least understanding this much. But she wanted to know what the Princess was like, just like Revali… “Urbosa?”

“What is it?”

“We’ll get a chance to get to know her then. After we defeat Ganon.”

Urbosa smiles then, taking that in before going to ruffle Link’s hair. “That isn’t a certainty, but it’s a good way to look at it, kid. We’ll get to know her on our own terms. After the battle.”

Kass’s huge shadow passes over them then, and Link startles as the Rito leans over. Revali is at Kass’s elbow as Kass talks cheerfully down to them, “Well, it was good to meet you two. But I must be off. I wish you the best of luck on the challenges before you. We’re counting on you!” Kass pats Link’s back and gives Urbosa a feather-light hug before he starts his walk up the mountain. Supposedly to get some height for takeoff, since no good air drafts can be found close by.

“I’ll take the Sheikah Slate to Eldin Tower so that we can warp everyone there then,” Revali explains, already extending his wing. “Cut our travel time.” Link wants to be contrary just because of Revali’s assuming nature, but Revali has a good point. So he hands it over with little delay.

Now they just have to wait for Revali to warp back to collect them.

Which means Link has time to just think.

Logically, Link knows that all this scuffle only really adds up to this one big fight, but it feels too draining to call it that. It feels like they are leading the world’s smallest army against an overwhelming other. They just started fighting now in what has been a hundred years of war against Malice and destruction and maybe Link is being frail, but it feels like they’ve been fighting for so long now.

He’s ready for the war to be over already.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Maaan, the ending for this just wouldn't wrap itself up! It's what I get for not ending it at night, but I wanted Urbosa's response for this chapter haha
> 
> But I hoped you enjoyed the chapter. We'll be getting the gang back together next chapter, so exciting stuff is on the horizon!   
> I'll see ya guys again next Tuesday. Have a good week ya'll <3


	17. Eldin

Urbosa waits by the cooking pot with Yunobo. It’s a companionable silence. Being around the younger Goron makes Urbosa feel at peace with the way she and Daruk had left off. Like there’s still some hope in reconciliation.

Over by the little Goddess statue, Link is taking the time to pray. Urbosa has been watching him quietly, waiting to see if maybe something magical will happen. It hasn’t been a very impressive feat thus far, though she remembers from what little Link has said. Praying to the Goddess somehow gives him more strength than before. In a very tangible way.

After kneeling for what seemed like maybe five minutes, he gets back up again. It is really beyond Urbosa what all that does, but he has a bit more of a hop in his step now. She can’t really say anything to a morale boost, so she won’t. But that’s all that praying seems to be.

Happily, Link plops down beside Urbosa. It’s a bit of a stiff silence after that, but Link doesn’t seem to notice. Or maybe he just doesn’t care… No, it’s that he doesn’t notice. If he did, he’d probably be a lot more uncomfortable right now. Yunobo seems set on making sure Link has his heart in this, and wants to talk to him badly. No matter how much Urbosa says Link isn’t a big talker.

Urbosa sighs, knowing she can’t stick around these two. They won’t get another chance to talk alone for a good while, so Yunobo stiffens when she gets up. With a bland voice, she gives a bad excusal over needing to shop at the stores in town. Arrows and what not.

That leaves Yunobo and Link alone. At some point, Link had taken out one of his swords, which he’s trying to sharpen with a rock. Yunobo isn’t too sure if it’s really working out for him, but it sure is making a lot of noise in the process.

“…..Soooo….” Yunobo drawls out, trying to catch Link’s attention. Link glances up at him, but keeps sharpening his sword. “…Champion Urbosa says you don’t talk much. That’s cool. I don’t talk much either. Really.”

Link gives Yunobo a weird glance, but nods. Still grating that rock against his blade.

After a moment, Yunobo sighs, “…But I just wanted to know. Curious, you know. Daruk said you guys didn’t want to help before. Why is that?” Link frowns, putting a little more muscle behind his next streak against the blade before he puts the rock down. He shrugs before he lifts his blade to look at the edge closer.

“I mean, you must have had a reason. Maybe it just wasn’t a good one? You did change your mind after all. It’s okay. We all make bad choices. Now and then.”

Link lifts his eyebrow at Yunobo, sword still up at eye level. After a moment, he gets up to give a few practice swings at the air before sheathing it. “It was the right decision at the time.” Link comes and sits down right next to Yunobo, making the Goron more nervous. “We didn’t know anyone or anything. Related to the Calamity or not. Mipha had the right idea about not trusting anybody.”

“…B-but then you changed your mind? Why?”

Link shrugs again, looking really bored. “Kept hearing the same thing. Over and over again,” Link pauses, looking up at Yunobo, “It didn’t matter if we did what Daruk did or not. If anything, it was better to stay banded together. Mipha could have died if she had done her Divine Beast by herself. I did.”

Yunobo’s eyebrows raise and then he thinks about what Urbosa had said earlier. It was eerily similar. They made the decision to stay banded with others who knew what they were going through. It was the safer option and it had already paid off for them. Yunobo keeps his mouth shut, still thinking. The last thing that Link said flew right over his head. The idea of Lord Daruk being wrong-footed in all of this is a bit upsetting.

When Revali comes back, everyone closes around him so that they can go get Mipha. It’s the first time Yunobo has ever been to the Zora’s Domain, so he walks around the town at a leisurely pace. The Champions split off with the plan to regroup then at the shrine.

Urbosa is the one to find Mipha; the Zora princess sits in her cavern, pouring over her papers. She doesn’t even notice that Urbosa has entered until she knocks on the wall, startling the Zora.

“Hello again, doll. It’s been too long.”

“Urbosa!” Mipha says as she whips around, a smile on her face. “I wasn’t expecting you back so soon!”

“How long did you think it would take?” Urbosa asks as she closes the distance between them. Mipha stays sitting in her chair, an arm draped over her desk and some of the papers.

Mipha gives a sigh, still smiling, “I don’t know. I’ve been so invested in figuring out my Divine Beast, I hadn’t been keeping good track of time. It feels like ages though.”

Urbosa smiles, giving Mipha a warm hug. “I promise you, it hasn’t. Have you made any progress?”

“I’ve had Zora scouting potential locations for these shrines I wrote about, but that’s as much progress as any. Vah Ruta still sits in the dam. I’ve been to visit her several times but…”

“That’s alright, Princess. We still have other Divine Beasts to release.”

“Right, of course,” Mipha beams, though still seemingly uncertain, “What is up next? If my Beast was causing havoc, I assume you guys will want to check up on the other ones.”

“Daruk has reached out actually. We thought you’d like to come with us to see him,” Urbosa says evenly. She moves around to move the papers on the table, taking a seat on it once they are out of the way.

“Daruk?” Mipha says, sounding almost scared. “What could he want?”

“Same thing Revali wanted. The Sheikah Slate so that he can enter his Divine Beast.”

Mipha’s eyes widen and she pushes back from the desk. “Yes, of course he would. I suppose we were always going to have to talk to him. Eventually…”

Urbosa smiles sadly down at her, “If it felt like a long time since you’ve seen me, it’s been a lifetime since you’ve seen Daruk. I’m sure we can all work out our differences. We just have to give each other a chance first.”

“I know…”

“..Wonderful. How long do you think it will take you to prepare to leave then? We were hoping to leave as soon as possible. Daruk’s descendent is with us,” Urbosa’s voice goes teasing then, “He’s a needy boy. Just like his brother.”

A surprised laugh comes from Mipha before she asks, “What do you mean? Daruk’s family is also well?”

“In a sense. I don’t know all of the details. Though, I suppose if Daruk warms back up to us again, he’ll be more than happy to tell us all about them.”

Still smiling awkwardly, Mipha looks off. “I suppose… Let me pull some of my things together. We can leave at noon.”

“Splendid,” Urbosa says and leans down to Mipha to hug her again. When she pulls back, Urbosa stands up to go look at the weapons Mipha has hung along her cavern walls. “How does a debrief sound?”

“Please do tell.”

The girls spend some time together then, talking over the events of the last week. They cover topics such as Princess Zelda’s last message, the trip to Hateno, and The Great Fairy Fountain. Urbosa hadn’t thought much had happened, but the more she recounts to Mipha, the more she realizes that it really has felt like forever since they had last spoke. So much can happen in just a few days.

Soon after Mipha’s debrief she informs her father of her departure and the party is meeting up at the shrine. Gathering around in a tight circle, Urbosa, Mipha, Revali, and Yunobo crowd Link as he flicks through the map options. Everyone puts their hand on Link’s shoulder or arm and they are teleported to the top of the tower.

“I have Daruk’s Protection,” Yunobo offers up when eyes turn to him. “I’ll be safe for the drop down. If anyone wants to join me…?” However, almost everyone grimaces at the idea of being trapped in a bubble with a living boulder during a deadly freefall.

“I feel confident in my ability to climb down,” Urbosa says, then looks to Mipha, “What do you think?”

Internally, Mipha knows she really shouldn’t risk the fall off the tower. But that left either asking to ride a climber’s back down, or Revali… Either way being too humiliating to ask for. She doesn’t get a chance to decide though, as Revali quickly lifts her up in the air.

“That says it all, you’re coming with me.”

“Revali!” Mipha huffs as she gets swung up onto his back. No reply comes as he crosses the distance to the edge. All Mipha can do is hold on and try not to break any feathers as they make the drop. She has to restrain herself not to vomit down his back when they land on the ground. When she drops to the ground, Revali absently steadies her while watching the others come down. Yunobo is already walking towards them, away from the rubble that the ground he had landed on had turned into.

So that leaves just Urbosa and Link to wait on. Mipha watches with worried eyes as they shimmy their ways down. It’s all peaceful for a moment: one blessed moment. Before Revali opens his beak.

“You must be excited then. Another conversation with Daruk has been a long time coming, for you.”

Mipha tries not to let her face convey anything, opting to keep her eyes on the climbers. Not sure of Revali’s sincerity, she doesn’t want to feed his punishing jibs. Instead she replies, as cheerfully as she can, “…Yes, it will be nice if we can make up. We are all on the same page now, after all.”

“That we are… May I ask what it’s like? Trying to run a Divine Beast?”

Thrown off, Mipha looks up in confusion at Revali. “Running Vah Ruta?”

She huffs before she continues, her eyes averted, “…More so that she is the one running me. I haven’t yet finished her shrines and she listens to no one without the blessings from said shrines. And even with the blessings, I have recorded the troubles I had had with Vah Ruta 100 years ago. I…..I do not believe she will allow me access easily. Let alone anytime soon…”

Revali studies her thoughtfully before answering her back with an: “I see…”

Beside them, Yunobo listens intently. When the Champions pause in the lull of their conversation, he fiddles with his fingers before asking shyly, “R-Running a Divine Beast. I’ve never really gotten to hear what Lord Daruk’s trials were like… What all do you have to do?”

With concern, Mipha looks to Yunobo while Revali keeps his eyes on the climbers. “There isn’t any recordings of how Daruk mastered his Divine Beast?”

“None that have been found, no. If there is…well maybe Boss will know.”

“Hopefully,” Mipha says, frowning, “My shrines are placed according to the environmental challenges of our Domain. I’m sure the locations of Daruk’s shrines will be the same.”

“Environmental challenges?” Revali chirps up, interested, “Such as?”

Mipha frowns, but Link touches down before she has to think too hard on that. “I brought my diary. We can look closer at the exact wording later.” She takes off then, meeting up with the two at the tower’s very base.

As the group then proceeds up Death Mountain, Yunobo hands out fireproof elixirs. The Champions listen keenly as he explains their necessity, especially after crossing the threshold into the blazing hot territory.

Even with the elixir, Revali complains that he is burning alive: taking off his top layers in a desperate plea to stay cool. Mipha also begs help when her poor feet burn on the hot rocks. Link switches into his pair of sabatons so that he can give her his leather boots.

Yunobo stops them before they can head too far up the trail. In front of them is a steep climb up a short cliff-side. In the shadow of the jutted path an immensely large, lava covered rock blocks the way farther.

“Th-These things are ugly. I just rolled past it when I left,” Yunobo stutters, looking back at the Champions.

“Talus?” Urbosa asks, to which Yunobo nods.

“They aren’t just normal Taluses though,” Yunobo corrects, “Taluses up here are covered in lava. It’s a true test of a Goron to d-defeat one in battle.”

Urbosa’s eyes narrow. “We’ll see.”

“Urbosa, wait, we are on a bit of a time restraint,” Mipha says, putting her hand on Urbosa’s arm, “Let’s just find a way around it for now.”

“What about the travelers?” Link pipes up, getting everyone’s attention.

Yunobo reassures the concerned party that Goron City has rarely gotten a traveler since the rise of the Divine Beast. And while some uncertainty is risen through doubt, they let Mipha and Yunobo push them on through for the sake of time.

As they approach a small group of Goron, Yunobo again pulls ahead.

“..I should take a lead now. Go tell Lord Daruk that you’ll be there soon. M-Maybe you guys should catch some fireproof lizards while I get ahead?”

“Are they what make the fireproof elixirs?” Mipha asks in concern, while everyone else looks mildly bored.

“…..Not…always? There’s just a lot of them around here. Anyway, I’ll see you at the top then,” Yunobo clumsily retracts himself from everyone else, giving them awkward smiles. He turns around before he then turns himself into a ball, to the surprise of all the Champions, and rolls away.

“…Did he just-?” Revali asks, stunned.

Link nods, but Urbosa becomes beside herself, holding in her laughter.

Mipha turns to her, asking, “What is it, Urbosa?”

Urbosa tries to swallow her laughter behind her hand, her eyes looking off high, but she can’t hold it and she lets out a wheeze. “C-Can you _imagine. Daruk!_ ” She wheezes again, and this time Mipha joins in a lighter giggle.

Revali slowly gets it, adding in, “Wouldn’t he break his back? He’s so old.”

Link smiles, and stretches his hands out to express the enormity of Daruk’s ball-form circumference. Fits of laughter filter through before they hush each other upon reaching the Southern Mine.

The image of the biggest member of their group twisting himself up into a tight ball haunts the party still though. With every passing Goron who rolls by, they have to self-regulate to keep each other from their fits of giggling. No lizards are caught as the Champions just try to walk calmly by.

They are almost to the gates of Goron City when the see a familiar boulder rolling their way. No one wants to meet anyone’s eyes as he flips out of his circular form into something more upright. “Boss and Lord Daruk are waiting for you up in the hot springs.”

Any laughter the Champions might have wanted to start dies at the thought.

“H- _Hot springs_? _In this heat?_ ” Revali basically squeaks. Mipha seconds his concern.

“Yeah,” Yunobo answers, perplexed as ever, “What, don’t like a good hot spring?”

Urbosa shakes her head as she approaches Yunobo to wrap an arm around his shoulders. “Just lead the way, kid. We’ll figure it out when we get there.” Nervously, Yunobo nods and relief floods his frame when she gently removes her arm only a moment later so that they can walk comfortably side by side.

After all this walking, the party arrives to the City’s natural hot spring. Only two large forms sit in the spring, waiting on them to enter. Both of them stiff as boards.

Yunobo however smiles upon seeing the other two Goron and turns to talk with the party, “Strip down and join us. Tense conversations always go better in the hot spring. Promise.”

“Ha,” Revali laughs, sounding winded, “And when have you ever lead us astray.”

Faintly, Mipha leans into Urbosa with a whispered tone, “I feel pretty faint. I don’t know how long I can stand it here.”

“Even with the elixir?” Urbosa asks, concerned. Looking up, she can see Daruk’s eyes on them. Determined…with barely an ounce of friendliness. But as much as Urbosa wants to bridge their gap, Mipha’s health matters more.

The boys are already stripping their outer layers and dipping their feet in. Mipha moves forward to join them, but Urbosa holds her back from just foolishly jumping into the water. Who knows how the hot the water is up here.

Daruk is watching their hesitation though. His gravelly voice reaches over to them, even pitched so low, “Too good still to sit in the stew with us?”

Mipha tenses up and her scales slip out from under Urbosa’s hand as she steps towards the lip of the water. Her movements are unsteady. However delicately the girls are trying to handle this, they can count on Revali to call it as bluntly as needed, “Do you plan to boil the fish princess, Daruk? She doesn’t look too potent as she is now, let alone if she were to jump in here. It’s hot as hell itself.”

Daruk’s face opens up then, and he takes a moment to actually look at the Zora. Mipha is looking at him defiantly, but her stance is uneven and she’s breathing heavy.

“That’s enough,” Urbosa interrupts, coming to her senses. She pulls Mipha up to her feet and up into her arms. “This was foolish from the start. We should get you somewhere cooler before you broil.”

“Let me,” Revali says, surprising everyone when he stands up. “There’s a stable at the base of Death Mountain, along with a shrine. Link, can I have the Sheikah Slate? I’ll come back periodically to see if our guests have anything to keep us…temperate creatures cooler. I don’t think I can stand this heat much longer either.”

Link nods quickly, and Revali quickly walks over to Link’s discarded clothing to grab the Slate. Daruk makes a protesting sound, but Revali gives him an eyeful that shuts his noise down quick. In a flash he has both himself and Mipha out of there. Urbosa is left to give Daruk all the outrage that Revali probably would have given him, had he not been sweating sheets under his insulated feathers.

Daruk tries to start first, but Urbosa interrupts him, “-What did you _think_ would happen? A fish and a bird walk into a bar and off the captain’s plank into a pot of boiling water. _Where’s_ the punchline? I can’t seem to _find it_ after they both are _killed_ from _heat_ stroke! You dumb hump of rock!”

“Hey now-“ Yunobo tries to cut in, but backs down when Urbosa gives him half a glare.

“This is going great so far,” the second Goron says blandly, making Daruk start from the sound of his voice.

“Ugh,” Urbosa groans as she makes a splash into the hot spring water beside Link, “So you wanted the Sheikah Slate to get into The Divine Beast Vah Rudania. Right?”

Daruk begrudgingly agrees, and Link watches as Yunobo goes over to the stranger to whisper something into his old ears. The elder Goron groans and stands up with a blunt, “I’m not sticking around for all this sappy shit. You kids can work this out.” Lost, Daruk watches helplessly as his fellow Gorons start a leisurely walk back to the city.

“Not so tough without the posse now? Pathetic,” Urbosa frowns at Daruk. Link stares at her in disbelief. He can see why she could be a little upset, but he really wished she’d stop digging into Daruk so much. They just got here.

“Phhu,” Daruk spits, splashing the water as he heaves his arms in a leisurely position back behind him on the ground level. “Getting all mad because a couple people can’t hold their own in hot heat. Please, Urbosa, you’re no one’s white knight. You don’t need to act like one.”

She frowns, feeling something slight vibrate behind her eyes. It feels like rage, but it’s ill-placed. Nothing even Daruk has warranted so far. Urbosa frowns, but pays no more mind to it as she gets at Daruk again, “Don’t act like your so much better. Like you’re doing anything above and beyond us. You have no idea-“

“It’s more than what you have been doing!” Daruk interrupts, scaring Link something bad.

He wants to shove as far away from the waring pair, but any sudden movement could get the conversation turned on him then. And when was the last time Daruk talked to Link for that matter? He’ll start soon on trying to get Link’s input. Regret and a wish for self-perseverance form a knot in the poor Hylian’s gut. 

Urbosa is laughing now, something dark, “Mipha has done more this past month towards the mastery of her Divine Beast than you have even begun to fathom over. Poor ‘Lord’ Daruk can’t even get _in_ his!” Urbosa rises then, brushing the excess water off. “I need to cool off. Metaphorically. We’ll talk later.” Quickly she pulls on some of her lighter clothes and takes off.

Leaving Link all alone in the belly of the beast.

“…Mipha’s been working on her Divine Beast?” Daruk asks, voice low, but quiet now. Small.

Link looks, seeing only a scolded man, no beast in sight. Link nods slowly, keeping an eye out for any change in Daruk’s newly changed mood. There is none, or if there is, the Goron only becomes sadder.

Daruk meets Link’s eyes and frowns, asking, “When did she decide to do that?”

“Zora Domain was flooding. Her Beast was making it rain night and day. There wasn’t any choice,” Link heard himself saying, not thinking. For all his fear earlier, he feels at ease now. Like he can talk now.

“Flooding, huh… So she didn’t talk to Lady Impa?” Link shakes his head and Daruk gives a heavy sigh. “Then why is she doing this? I was surprised you came so quick, let alone…” Daruk sighs again, running one large hand over his face. “Yunobo didn’t tell me who all was with him. I thought maybe it was just you and Revali, coming to the hot spring.” Link lets it pass that Revali was also cooking in the spring too. Better to just move things along. Get back to eating food around a fire and sleeping huddled up under the stars.

So Link tries to fish for something, anything neutral. “Yunobo’s your brother?”

“Ha!” Link stiffens at Daruk’s sudden laugh, but he settles down quick enough. “Yeah, apparently! Funny, that, isn’t it? Never would have guessed…”

The pair of Champions stay in the hot spring for a long while after. Mostly, Link let’s Daruk bounce his revelations of his past off onto Link, but every once and awhile Daruk will pull it around circle: asking about the others, and what happened with Mipha’s Beast. It’s a pleasant conversation that soothes them both, lasting well into the evening.

Urbosa, however, stomps down to the center of town. With only boots and her one of her big, light shirts covering her, she feels like her skin is on fire. Her hair is a mess and she’s angry, angrier than she’s ever been. How dare he act like this! They were better than this!

“Ma’am?” A feminine voice asks from behind. Urbosa spins on her heel to come face to face with another Gerudo. The first one she’s ever seen in person, in this new life. “You look really hot, would you like an elixir?”

“A what?” Urbosa asks, so out of it. Out of it enough that the stranger reaches out to part the hair from her forehead and touches it to feel its temperature. Her hand retracts instantly.

Feeling woozy all of a sudden, Urbosa watches dazed as the stranger digs into her bag, quickly pulling out a bottle of black sludge. Urbosa wants to protest when the stranger puts the uncorked bottle to her lips, but she’s getting weaker. Can barely argue before the liquid is in.

“There there… _Can’t believe you’ve been so careless. What would you’re mother say…”_

“I dunno…” Urbosa slurs, leaning forward into the stranger. Her body is already feeling cooler, though her energy is all but sapped out of her.

“Come on, snap out of it…” The stranger, getting snippy, starts to push Urbosa away. “Stand up with pride, you idiot. Don’t make me take care of you after what I just did for you. I could have needed that.”

“Huh?” Urbosa asks, eyes squinting to try to focus.

_“You know we really shouldn’t be doing this… But I can’t find it in myself to care…”_

Urbosa huffs, petting the other girl’s hair gently, “Careful. I…I might think you care more fo-or me…”

“Ugh, you need a cot. Let’s get you to Rollin’ Inn…”

_A familiar pair of green eyes look up at her fondly, a mischievous smile on her face. “And what if I do? What would you do?” A shift._

_Then there was just a pain, white and striking crossed her back as Urbosa fell. A girl’s shrieking voice echoed in her helm._

_“That’ll teach you to mess with the heir of Churchlan. Stand up, you cheat. Let’s see who dares to question my place by Her Majesty’s Jewel.”_

_Skirts ruffled past, and then someone started to plead with the young heir, “They aren’t worth it, Oswald. Let them go, you’ve embarrassed them enough!”_

_“My Lady, please, they have questioned your decision, your right-“_

_“So do not do as they do. Please, Os. Let me talk with them alone.” Urbosa laid there, waiting endless minutes for dumb Oswald of blahblah to just leave them be. She had to talk them down for longer than should be necessary, but fortunately, the kids listened well enough to Zelda. Soon it was just the two of them._

_“No thank you, then?” The princess asked, hovering over Urbosa’s prone body._

_“You aren’t doing this for me,” Urbosa spit out, pulling her helm off in a tug as she sat up fast. A head rush followed soon after, but she ignored it._

_The princess looked cheeky though as she kneeled next to Urbosa. “I thought you were giving up on me?”_

_“Does it look like I’m begging to get back in your skirts, Hyrule? If it does, I assure you you’ve got a nail or two loose.”_

_“Mark me down as unfit then, but you’re the one fighting for my honor in the back alleys of Castle Town. If my nails are loose, you’ve lost all your marbles a long time ago. Imagine what-“_

_“My mother would say. Don’t remind me.”_

_“You saw fit to remind me,” Zelda countered, face serious again, “…What are you trying to gain here, Riju?”_

_Urbosa turned her face away, not sure how to answer. She just wanted to fight. She couldn’t have what she actually wanted, why couldn’t she just have this without the princess interfering? Every time Urbosa felt like she could finally pull away, it always came back to this. The same dance, the same pain. Same arguments, same memories playing over and over in her head…_

_The princess sighed heavily before she stood back up. She brushed off her skirts and Urbosa knew she was going to offer again, but she couldn’t help herself. “It isn’t safe for you to be out on these streets at night, my princess. Please allow me to escort you back to the castle.”_

_“And to my bedchambers as well?” Zelda offered, not hesitating a beat. She offered a white gloved hand that Urbosa rejected outright since her own gloves were covered in dirt and mud._

_“If the night scares you so, I will.”_

_“It scares me awfully.”_

“…keep you….don’t worrrr….” Urbosa grumbles in her sleep. Two more bottles of fireproof elixir sit by her bedside table, waiting for her when she wakes up.

In the early evening, Revali returns to the city and finds Link and Daruk still talking in the hot spring. Everything appears civil, so he chances coming closer. To which Daruk gives him a big, sheepish smile.

“Feeling better, brother?”

Revali freezes for a minute before he takes a sit at the edge of the spring. “A lot, thank you for asking. Though Mipha had to take a swim in some cool waters. Thankfully the stable people are very helpful when it comes to others safety.”

“Yeah…” Daruk says, frowning, “I’m sorry about that. I didn’t mean to cause you guys so much trouble…”

Revali sighs, relaxing into the uncomfortable heat of this place, “Don’t worry about it. Are things all settled now? Can we continue our work?”

Daruk looks to Link, who nods reassuringly. The Goron hums contently, “Yes, for the most part, everything’s settled. Link has agreed to come up to the Divine Beast with me tomorrow.”

Eyebrows raised, Revali focuses on Link as well. “That’s rather soon. Do you think you will be ready? It looks like the Divine Beast travels around the volcanoes top. It’ll be hotter there than anywhere else, surely.”

“We have a fireproof armor in town. I’m sure we can suit Link up before we leave,” Daruk offers, settling Revali’s nerves on the issue only slightly.

“You aren’t thinking the rest of us will let you two go without us?” Revali asks, frown plastered to his beak. Revali continues when no replies are given, seeing an opening as good as any. “We’re a team, Daruk. Don’t go making decisions on your own. Having Link won’t be enough, I can guarantee you that-“ Link huffs, hating having his stunt on Vah Ruta being thrown into all this.

“Don’t you even,” Revali turns on Link, “Mipha saved your ass last time, but what can she do if things go wrong on the volcano? We need a plan!” Revali looks then back to Daruk, “Let’s talk to Urbosa and Mipha first, before any extreme measures are taken.” Link folds his arms, but keeps any thoughts to himself. They had to keep moving with all of this.

Daruk, basically beaten down at this point, gives. “I understand your concern. Fine,” The Goron stands then, “Let’s go find where Urbosa ran off to. She was pretty upset with me still when she left.”

“Great,” Revali rolls his eyes, “Just great. Just when I thought I had managed to dodge the arguments perfectly. Will we all _ever_ be able to all get along?”

“Hopefully soon, brother. Very soon.”

Knowing them, Revali has a hard time believing that. Still, if they don’t indulge the latest drama, how can they ever move on to the next act of absurdity? It wouldn’t be in character of them to act any other way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have a cheeky finisher ;)   
> Haha anyway, hope you guys liked the latest chapter. 
> 
> And also as a little side note, any time Urbosa remembers an romantic interaction with a 'Zelda' it is going to be with King Bosphoramus's queen. I do not ship our Zelda with Urbosa, as it is explicitly stated in Urbosa's Song that Urbosa is the same age as Zelda's mother. And that Urbosa watched Zelda grow up.   
> I don't blame anyone for shipping Urbosa with Zelda without this knowledge (before the ballad songs came out, there was no way to know), but the information is there now, so I just wanted to clear this up. Urbosa has always been a guardian to Zelda. I will never ship them together. 
> 
> But Urbosa and Zelda's mother? Totally different story. And of course, because we are following things the game has explicitly said, Zelda and her mother have to have the same name. It's family tradition :T Maybe a nickname for the Queen should be in order? 
> 
> In other news, Next Chapter will be coming next Tuesday, so look out for it then!  
> It's been a fun chapter, see you guys next week <3


	18. Eldin

“There were two?”

“Yeah. The delirious one is sleeping here right now. The second one left a couple of fireproof elixirs for her. Though she didn’t seem too keen on sticking around.”

Link looks up at Revali, saying, “She wouldn’t have had any more elixirs. I was carrying them.”

Nodding, Revali turns back to the owner of the Rollin’ Inn. “The first one is with us. Can you tell us when she wakes up?”

With some reassurance on Urbosa’s whereabouts, Revali and Link leave the inn and take a seat outside. Instantly, Revali stands back up again, trying hard not to make a show of patting his poor tail feathers. This place is the epiphany of hell on earth.

Gently, Link pats at Revali’s arm, a questioning look in his eyes. Revali calms some and shakes his head wearily. “I really can’t stay here for too long. Even with the elixir, I’m heating up. I can feel it through my talons.” Revali lifts said talons, looking at the underside. The skin there already looks dry and patchy.

Daruk appears around a building just farther down the dirt path, and his eyes light up. He yells over to them, “Brothers! Have you found her?” As he comes closer, Link nods. Revali ignores Daruk mostly, still analyzing the damage to his feet.

Quickly Revali recaps, “She fell into a delirium without the proper elixirs. Another Gerudo traveler was so kind as to rent her a bed in the inn for her recovery. We told the innkeeper to alert us when she wakes up.” Then he settles his foot back on the ground with a grimace, “But I really can’t stay. This climate is killing me.”

“I’ll stay and wait on her,” Daruk says, voice soft. He then unhooks something that was hanging on the back of his belt. In his big hands, the flamebreaker armor looks like dolls clothes. “Here Link, this should fit you fine,” While Link takes the armor pieces, Daruk looks back to Revali, “I told them to measure for a Rito and a Zora then. Whenever you have the time, you should stop by. It’s my treat. For all the hassle I’ve caused.”

Revali smiles, “If you insist. Link, do you want to come back to the stable, or stick around? I still need to cool off.” Link takes Revali’s wing, making Revali laugh, “Alright then. How about we go get the shrine for here first, then come back tomorrow?”

Feeling how hot Revali’s feathers had gotten, Link has to agree. It was a surprise that he had even came back earlier today. So, they make their goodbyes to Daruk and then head up to the shrine for the town.

Glancing up, Link realizes that Revali would have had to make the hike back up here by himself. The idea of hiking back up here on foot honestly hurts and he can’t understand why the most likely to complain just…isn’t.

“You didn’t take long to hike up here,” Link comments, offhandedly. Maybe to make conversation, maybe to make the fact that he’s still holding Revali’s wing less awkward. He isn’t sure, but he feels dumb the moment he says it.

Only to be accentuated when Revali replies, deadpan, “I flew.”

“Right.”

“Yeah.”

Link stops trying to make small talk, instead, deciding to let go of Revali’s wing and rush up to the shrine. The sooner they got it done, the sooner they could leave.

After the shrine, they teleport out of the volcano land. Revali can’t help a sigh, as he stretches his wings out in the cool breeze. The heat under his arms lowers substantially, and Revali takes a hop off the small hill so that he can ride a low air draft down to the stable. Following his lead, Link takes his paraglider out for the frivolous shortcut down. Why walk down when flying’s an option?

When they reach the front of the Foothill Stable, Link puts his paraglider away. He can vaguely hear Mipha who is sitting at the cooking pot nearby. When Link looks up, he can see her with her feet in a bucket of water. Another bucket is sitting by her stool, and she’s motioning for Revali to take it for himself. The Rito looks content, and takes the bucket to his own stool with no complaint.

Mipha gives Link a smile when he comes to take the third stool. Though up close, Link notices how tired she looks. Drained.

“How’d it go?”

Now rubbing up under his wing feathers, Revali answers before Link can, “We learned that Link and Daruk are impulsive beyond belief. Saying that they can just take the jaunt up to the Divine Beast on their own. Tomorrow!” Revali gives Link a glare, while Link blinks back in confusion, “That’s right, I didn’t forget about that. Did you really think that first plan would work?”

“Oh, Link…” Mipha looks over at him, giving him a disappointed look, “What were you thinking?”

Link opens his mouth to answer, but he can’t think of a good response, so he just shuts his mouth with a frown. He shrugs before he starts digging through his materials. It’s been ages since he ate last.

“And where is Urbosa?” Mipha asks then, looking back to the itchy Rito.

Revali shakes his head, “She’s just as bad. Left in a huff after we did and got herself too heated out in the city streets. Luckily someone took care of her and booked her into the inn for a nap.”

Concerned, Mipha leans forward, “Did you see her in person? How was her breathing?”

Revali shrugs noncommittally and starts rummaging through his own materials. “We’ll check up on her tomorrow morning.”

“What if she worsens in her condition before then?” Mipha asks, mentally tallying up the side-effects of heat exhaustion, “Left in that constant heat could be fatal.”

Before she can get too worked up, Link pauses to place his hand on her knee. Her attention caught, Link signs that he’ll check up on her later. This lessens some of the tension in Mipha’s shoulder, but only some.

While the attention is averted from the pot, Revali starts throwing in the ingredients for his dish. Link’s head snaps to the pot and groans at what he sees. A bunch of fish and a Hylian herb. He could taste the clash of flavors from just the sight of it. With a bit of vindictiveness, Link tries not to respond as he watches Revali cook. The best experience comes from the mistakes you make along the way.

But he does glance at Mipha, who is still looking at him. He looks from her to the pot and back, and she glances at the pot. Link watches as she tries not to react, but her eyes bulge slightly. Silently, Mipha makes some signs that Link frowns at. Causing Mipha to frown in turn.

She makes the signs again, slower this time, but Link still can’t puzzle out what she’s say.

“You don’t remember all of the signs?” Mipha asks, miffed, spooking Revali who was intently focused on his dish before.

“What is it now?” He asks, glancing back down at his dish and back up again.  

Link shrugs, saying, “I don’t remember much. The manual I got from Sidon helped, but there is still a lot of signs that I probably don’t know.”

“How strange,” Mipha says, tilting her head, “I feel as if I remember a lot of the signs actually. Or at least, the ones I had known of before… But perhaps, that was triggered because of you. I had no one to learn it from or reason to learn it, until I became your friend.”

“So does that mean that I’ll remember sign too? If friendly memories with Link really does that,” Revali asks, stirring his mixture. The curl on his beak remarks on his latest lesson on culinary failures. Still, he hasn’t made a move to toss it yet. If anything, he adds more salt…for whatever reason.

“Have you had any yet?” Mipha asks politely, making Revali’s head tilt in thought.

“No, I have next to no recollection of Link. Most of my memories are focused on my family and my time spent with the Gerudos.”

Contemplating that, Mipha says, “Then maybe you could. Although my memory of sign, in relation to Link, is being taught the sign. I remember a lot of his time spent in Zora Domain. And I remember the time I spent in lessons either with Muzu or my father. Learning sign was an olive branch and a sign of respect towards the King’s diplomat.”

“And by extension, the King?” Revali asks, ladling out his dinner into his bowl.

“Right. That was the thought anyway.” When Revali empties out the pot, Link immediately starts cleaning the residue away, not wanting to taste whatever Revali was forcing himself to eat.  

They spend the evening around the cooking pot, talking easily about the memories they had and what they still had to find out about themselves. Revali surprises everyone when he proudly claims his spot in his family’s choir. Then Link brings even more surprises upon mentioning his first encounter with this father.

Meanwhile, Daruk sits patiently by Urbosa’s bed. He keeps an eye on her, and once when her breathing had became labored, her body turning red: Daruk administered an elixir for her. All while trying to be as gentle as possible. Most of the grey sludge spilled out the corner of her mouth, but her breathing evened out. She had relaxed again.

It is during the dead of night when Urbosa comes around. She groans, rolling her head over into her hands and rubs her face. When she moves her hands away, she can see the large outline of Daruk and she startles into sitting up against the wall. In the blink of an eye she has a torch out, which lights in the fiery environment.

“Feeling better then?” Daruk asks, not moving from his spot on the floor.

Urbosa, eyes wide, lowers the torch, but only by a fraction. She settles herself then onto the edge of the cot. Closer to Daruk, but still keeping her space. When Urbosa tries to speak, her voice is cracked and the pull of her skin tells her something is caked along her cheek and chin. She rubs along her jaw and feels the dried liquid there.

“Sorry, some of the fireproof elixir came back out again. I didn’t want to risk waking you up to rub it away…”

Urbosa nods slowly before she takes out a cloth to rub the mess away.

“I’d offer you water, but we don’t actually have much supply for that. Surprisingly,” Daruk says, still watching her. His face shines in concern in the torchlight.

Mouth dry, Urbosa swallows her spit. Then again, just to try to make her voice a bit more usable. “Where did you find me?”

Daruk’s brow furrows, “I didn’t find you. Revali said a Gerudo brought you here. They are the ones who left these elixirs for you.”

Urbosa looks over to the counter where said elixirs sat, noting that one bottle is almost empty. Save for the slime leftover from the elixir that it once held.

When Urbosa looks back to Daruk, the Goron is looking down at his hands that are clasped in front of him. When he speaks again, his voice is a low rumble, “I’m sorry that I started us off on such a bad foot. I was ignorant and I didn’t think of who Link would bring along. I didn’t think before I spoke. And I certainly never considered that I could have been wrong about you…”

Frowning, Urbosa lowers the torch some more, then takes out an old rag before smothering the flame. She puts the torch away without a second thought.

Rambling, Daruk continues, “I’m not sure what to do. Everyone is counting on us to do this…thing. I’ll be happy if we can just get it done. And maybe I don’t deserve it, but Urbosa if I could have your forgiveness on top of all that… Well I couldn’t be a prouder Goron.”

“…you were right, though,” Urbosa crocks, leaning forward. Her legs fall over the edge of the cot, brushing against Daruk’s side. “We have so much responsibility. So much more outside of who we are. And all I wanted for us was to stay safe. I followed Mipha home, even though she could have done it herself. She could have done everything on her own, she’s so quick-minded. I was just scared of what could happen…”

Unclasping his hands, Daruk turns his body more towards Urbosa. “You weren’t wrong, Urbosa. Our safety is vital to this all working, and all I did was separate myself from everyone. Even Revali came back faster than I did, and that guy’s prouder than any peacock.” This gets a smile out of Urbosa, noticeable even in the low-light of the nighttime lava outside. It spurs Daruk to keep talking, “Staying together has always been more important. I was just too headstrong to see it that way.”

“Daruk…” Urbosa laughs then, eyes rolling to the ceiling, before she holds out her hands, “Just accept that I’m sorry, too. We’ve been a pair of children, dancing around this. Can we move on now?”

Smiling, Daruk raises his hands to hold hers. “I think that can be arranged. Arguing nonstop never seemed quite my style anyway.”

“Thank the gods, it isn’t mine either. I’d prefer sparring instead,” she jokes, then leans forward into Daruk’s arms. He widens them, letting go of her hands, so that he can hold her in a hug instead. Smiling, Urbosa burrows her face into the hair along Daruk’s neck. Quietly, she mumbles something unintelligible through the hair.

“What was that?”

“I’ve missed you.”

Relaxing around the Gerudo, Daruk smiles, “I’ve missed you too, Chief.”

Uncharacteristically, Urbosa laughs outright, ending her fit with a huffed, “Lord.”

The cuddling pair sit silently for a beat before they both chuckle at the oddity of it all.

Chortling quietly, Daruk asks, “Who would have thought. Whoever had the idea to make us leaders really didn’t know us well enough at all.”

“Well, I don’t know about you, but I ran a tight shift. I was the picture of a perfect ruler,” Urbosa gloats, pulling out of Daruk’s mane to smile cheekily at him.

Daruk gives her a doubtful smile. “That sounds mildly exaggerated.”

“Only mildly of course.”

“Mm… I’d say you remember more than me then. I have only gotten a few memories, here and there.”

“All good memories of the Goron I would suppose?”

Daruk frowns, thinking, “No. Actually my first memory was of the Princess, Zelda.”

“Zelda?” Urbosa asks, her mind connecting back to the dream she had been having before she woke up. Her face flares with heat at the way they had been behaving. Like they were…

“She was such a young thing,” Daruk says, sadness draining through his words, “I didn’t have time to think much about it right after I remembered her, but she must have been around Link’s age when this all started happening.”

Urbosa’s face drains. “That young, you say?”

“Yeah…” Daruk answers, still thoughtful, “Could you imagine having that kind of burden at that age? I wonder how long we knew Ganon was coming… What were the signs?”

Urbosa remains quiet, her thoughts racing. This person they’re talking about…it isn’t the same person. It couldn’t possibly, Urbosa could be Link’s mother… But the pair of them had referenced their own mothers frequently. These were old memories then. Older than anything close to the Calamity, no doubt.

“Urbosa?” Daruk asks, his voice sounding far away, “Are you okay? We have more elixirs-“

She shakes her head, smiling sadly up at Daruk. “That won’t be necessary. I was just thinking, about my own memories.”

“What was it? If you don’t mind me asking…”

Urbosa shakes her head, a hand coming to rest her chin. Slowly, she states her suspicions, “I’ve remembered a Hylian now, twice. Her name is also Zelda Hyrule, but…she is somewhere around my own age. She lived in the Hyrulean Castle, she must have also been some kind of royalty…”

Daruk absorbs this information, impartial, “Do you think she’s our Princess’s mother?”

“The Queen?” Urbosa asks, drained by the thought. The singular idea that...for all the tension. All of the interest that they seemed to have for each other. “Possibly.” If she was Queen, bearing a daughter of her own, then Urbosa must have been a coward. Just like she had said.

Maybe that’s all Urbosa has ever been. Running from what’s right in front of her at every turn.

Daruk jostles her, shifting his arms and grabbing her attention again. “Why so quiet? This isn’t like you. Talk to me, please.”

Again, Urbosa startles. She isn’t sure what to say, so she remains stiff in Daruk’s arms. This all feels so familiar, and yet not so at the same time. Frowning, Urbosa knows she can’t dodge around this forever. Why does this feel so familiar?

Ah. This is just like Link was, skirting around his memories back at the Domain. She had made so much fun of him over his little secrets. Now she understands: talking to a fellow Champion about this just feels so. Trivial.

“If you don’t feel comforta-“

“No, it’s fine. It’s just all so…impossible to describe. But…” Urbosa’s face feels so warm, just trying to find the words for this little admittance. If she doesn’t tell someone, though, she might die tomorrow with it never being said. “I had feelings for her. For Zelda. The memories are so vague. I don’t know what that could have meant for us…”

“Oh,” Daruk says, shocked, but he switches to a more concerned tone quickly, “That is a lot to try to think about. Do you think…she liked you too?”

“I…” Urbosa starts, not sure what to say. She scrapes her mind, trying to find evidence that it was a two-way road. _“Does it look like I’m begging to get back in your skirts, Hyrule?”_ Her face, if possible, turns redder, making Daruk chuckle at her sudden shyness. “Yes, I think she did.”

Knowingly, Daruk quiets his laughter and gives her a smile. As she thinks quietly about this information, Daruk’s thoughts drift to his own life. Gorons don’t seem to have romantic lives, at least, not to his notice. And really, Daruk isn’t too sure he can relate to Urbosa’s problems in all this. But it is nice to see her flustered over something, even if it is hard to understand completely.

However, if they did share feelings, then that means this old Queen meant something to Urbosa. A Queen that old couldn’t possibly be around anymore…

It all comes back full circle, Daruk thinks sadly. Looking down to check on Urbosa, he sees her peacefully sleeping, nestled into his beard. He sighs, knowing that this conversation will have to wait for later.

After they finish this battle, and even the ones after that. After the war. The ones that matter to them, the ones they have been fighting for… They won’t be waiting for them on the other side. All they can do for them now… A tear runs down Daruk’s face as he thinks: all they can do for them now is to make their memory proud.

Would the Moliten he loved be proud of him?

Cradling Urbosa in his arms, Daruk lets his head sag to the side. Hopefully, she’ll get the answers she’s craving for. At least one of them should get the closure they are all going to need.

Link comes around to check up on Urbosa in the earliest hours of the morning. What he doesn’t expect to find is Urbosa curled up in Daruk’s lap. Both of them are sleeping on the floor, resting peacefully. He doesn’t want to interrupt, but he promised Mipha he would makes sure Urbosa was okay.

Quietly, he sneaks into the dim room. Only once he is inches away does he peer down at Urbosa’s face. Locks of her hair are in the way, so Link gently lifts them up. Beads of sweat are gathered there, and accidently smear across her skin as he moves the hair. Even in her sleep, her breathing seems short. Putting his hand to her forehead then, heat sears his skin.

Link hates to have to wake the two of them, but there isn’t much choice. Quickly, Link grabs a potion from the table and taps at Urbosa to wake her up. Waking up for the second time in the middle of the night, she blinks around blearily until her eyes land on Link. His voice beckons for her to sit up, and upon recognizing him, she sits up as best as she can. The arms around her make it a sizable feat for her tired body.

As she becomes more alert, though, the more the searing pain of heat across her skin becomes. Her body feels like it is on fire, and her hands shake when Link offers her the elixir. The fireproof elixir feels like cool rain falling in the desert. Appreciative, Urbosa smiles after she has downed the whole thing.

Feeling the disruption in his arms, Daruk opens his eyes slowly. After they adjust, he notices a darker shape past Urbosa. Urbosa doesn’t seem alarmed by the presence, so Daruk doesn’t become immediately concerned. Though curiosity further wakes him as Urbosa moves out of his lap, making his hands move to either side to let her up. 

“Whas-“

“Sorry, Daruk,” Urbosa says softly, turning to lean over him. “Mipha wants me at the stable. To make sure I’m really okay. Is there a better place for you to sleep? You should go there, since I’m heading out.”

Waking up only minutely, Daruk nods and accepts the goodbyes of her and Link before his head rests back up against the wall. This is as good of a place as any to sleep.

The cool nighttime air at the stable settles Urbosa’s skin, and makes it feel like she can breathe again after what feels like forever. Gently, Link offers his hand and leads Urbosa down the hill towards the stable. At the cooking pot, Mipha sits watching the fire with a stable blanket wrapped around her body. She looks up at the sound of crunching grass and smiles upon seeing Urbosa.

Impatiently, she pats the stool next to her so that she can begin her examination.

“You know,” Urbosa says, taking her seat, “If you can’t remember the majority of your medical training, does that still make you a healer? I mean, isn’t that the key, being able to remember that kind of thing?” This earns a swat from Mipha, then the Zora princess searches along Urbosa’s neck for her pulse.

“I remember _enough_ , thank you,” Mipha reprimands.

Tired, Link waves to them before heading back to his bed.

“So,” Mipha asks, pleased so far with Urbosa’s condition, “How did it go? With Daruk.”

“I’m not sure I know what you mean,” Urbosa says slyly, earning another slap along her leg. She takes it in stride, as Mipha continues to prod her body for signs of harm.

“He was supposed to look out for you after Link and Revali left. Do tell me you did see him before you left.”

Urbosa gives and smiles, “Yeah, I saw him. We fell asleep on the floor together after I woke up the first time.”

Relieved, Mipha gives her an encouraging look, “Tell me more.”

Urbosa laughs, “It wasn’t much. We apologized, hugged it out. Talked about some memories we’d gotten recently…and then just kind of went to sleep.”

“It’s good that you got to talk to him,” Mipha says, moving away from Urbosa, “I’d say, even considering your fainting earlier, you seem to be in better health now than before you went up the mountain.”

“Couldn’t say I’d see why. Not like anything of too much importance happened today.”

With a knowing look, Mipha gets up. “Maybe. I’ll be going back to my bed now. Some of us haven’t been sleeping the day and night away. Good night, Urbosa.”

Urbosa waves her off, already thinking of an early breakfast. “Good night, Mipha. Sweet dreams.”

_“Careful. I might think you care more for me than you’ve let on.”_

_“And what if I do? What would you do?”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter will come out in two weeks. Gonna take a small break, get some thoughts gathered up for the coming chapters.   
> I'll see you all again on the 24th! 
> 
> Thanks for reading <3


	19. Eldin

The next morning finds Urbosa and Revali in the armory building, getting measured for their new fireproof suits. Link, decked out like a little lava scuba diver, had already left with Daruk when troubling news of Yunobo’s disappearance came up.

“Are we almost done? I feel like I’m dying,” Revali asks the store owner, his wings stretched. Nearly touching the wall on either side.

The store owner only chuckles at him, answering, “Almost. I rarely have a Rito to fit, so please be patient. We wouldn’t want the armor to be ill-fitted.”

“He’s just being melodramatic anyway,” Urbosa says to the store owner from her seat on the floor, “Supposedly, it’s part of his charm, but I don’t buy it.” Revali makes a face her way, which she doesn’t respond to at all. Seemingly above it all today.

The store owner laughs, then rolls up his string of rocks that he had been measuring with. “No, it’s best not to listen to rumors about others anyway. They never seem to speak of the heart of a character.”

Urbosa smiles, “Praise.”

“Now, Chief Urbosa, would you come here? I have some pieces for a Gerudo set already made. We should see if they fit before I go making anymore.”

“Are you sure you can’t make a Zora set?” Revali asks as he puts his wings down. The subject at hand already having been discussed a number of times earlier.

The store owner sighs, understanding but defeated, “The Zora are amphibian, Champion Revali. I cannot change the nature of their being. Once, I had heard, they had been able to visit the Mountain. That time is no more,” He starts to pull out selections of armor for Urbosa, including her own scuba-esque helm, “I sympathize with your mission. Truly, I do.”

Urbosa speaks while picking up the helm, “We understand. We can’t thank you enough for the armor that you are giving us.”

“Zora used to be able to come up here?” Revali chirps, leaning against the wall.

The store owner nods, “Yes, long ago, before the Calamity started. The mountain wasn’t always so active. These were times before me though. Before many of us. Boss Moliton was one of the last to remember those times and even his recollection was from the words of his elders.”

Urbosa turns to Revali to model her new helm, which he nods approvingly to.

“Was Boss Moliton related then to your current Boss?” Revali asks.

Urbosa unhinges the front panel of her helmet before asking, “Why are your leaders ‘bosses’ while Daruk is a Lord? Is there a Goron hierarchy?”

The Goron armorer nods as he studies the helm on Urbosa’s head. He motions his hand in a silent request for her to move her head about: testing the balance.

“Yes, there is a hierarchy, I suppose. Though not as complicated as some races,” he answers and then motions for Urbosa to give him the helm back. When she hands it over, the store owner pulls out a screwdriver, which he then uses on the front panel.

Then he pulls out a hammer, which he uses to put an outward dent into the panel. “Boss Moliton was Lord Daruk’s little brother. We do not hold this to the exact standards as other races. Like Gerudo, who do not come here for husbands, but for trade. They know we are not the mates they seek. But they talk often of the husbands and their need to keep their society alive. It makes my heart ache for them. It must not be easy, to ask for others for that kind of help.”

Urbosa’s eyebrows come together, “What do you mean? Is there something wrong with Gerudo society?”

The store owner puts his hammer down, but looks up at her quizzically, “I do no mean to offend. The Gerudo are wonderful people. Wonderful patrons. Always respectful-“

“No, I mean… What is this about husbands?”

Behind her, Revali tries not to look too interested.

Baffled, the armorer looks at her, not sure how to answer, “You… Surely you would know?”

“I would not, I assure you,” Urbosa says to him very seriously.

The store owner looks extremely uncomfortable at that and looks away. “That’s… Well I assume this is rather… Delicate. You should ask a Gerudo. I’m only a Goron, what do I know.” Anxiously, the Goron stays focused on the helm, screwing the front panel back on. “Try this now.”

Revali pushes off the wall, taking a closer look at the armor on the store counter.

Urbosa tries on the helm and the store owner nods approvingly. The other pieces will need some work, but she can take that at least.

“So what about Boss Moliton then?” Revali asks as the Goron rearranges his wares.

“Right: Moliton,” the shop owner nods, “Lord Daruk’s little brother. We were reassured that Lord Daruk would one day return. Moliton did not want to take Lord Daruk’s title because of this. Thus the title, Boss, was given to him. And then to Boss Blundo.”

“Is Blundo Moliton’s little brother?” Revali asks.

“No, Blundo was a brother of Moliton. We are all brothers by choice. We value each other in this way. But Blundo was elected to take on Moliton’s role after his passing. The first election in many generations.”

Revali frowns, “Wait if you are all brothers, then what is the significance of being a little brother? Wouldn’t that mean you are also Moliton’s little brother?” Urbosa laughs and shakes her head.

The store owner also chuckles, “No no, if only I were Moliton’s little brother. But we cannot all be that special.”

“Come on, Revali, I think we’ve well overstayed our welcome. Let’s not make awkward conversation now. Not while Yunobo is still missing,”

“Yunobo is missing?” The Goron asks in concern.

“Daruk is looking for him,” Urbosa reassures him, but also is pushing Revali’s back out towards the streets, “We should go check on them. We will be back later today to check on your progress.”

“Of course.”

Once out on the streets, heading north on the path to the Northern Mine, Revali and Urbosa pick up their conversation again.

“I feel better already,” Urbosa confesses, touching her helm happily.

Revali scoffs, “Must be nice. Some of us still feel like they’re going to melt from the inside out, so don’t gloat too much. You’ll make them jealous,” Revali pauses a moment, and then continues, “So do you know what that old man was talking about? The little brother thing?”

Urbosa nods thoughtfully, “Yunobo explained it to me during our time in Kakariko. Little brothers are the sons of their older brothers. But Goron custom says that ever Goron is the son of the Earth. And of Hylia. So, they do not claim as much ownership over their children.”

“You call being a parent ‘ownership’?”

“Only in a linguistic nature. I’m sure the Gorons parent their younger brothers much like all children need to be.”

“Hmm…” Revali tilts his head back, watching the ash rise in the sky, “So… who was Moliton’s mother then? The Earth? How does that work?”

Urbosa laughs, “Do you mean, who birthed him? My understanding is that Daruk did.”

“Nooo,” Revali looks back at her, shocked, “That can’t be right.”

“Yunobo explained it all rather plainly. It isn’t that strange for them. Moliton must have grown on Daruk’s back. The Gorons are an asexual people.”

“Nooo,” Revali says again, now grinning nervously.

Urbosa shakes her head, chuckling, “Hard to believe, maybe. But I swear it on my own life. That is the way of things.”

Farther down the path, on the other side of the lava, they see Link, Daruk, and Yunobo leaving a closed in area. Perhaps for storage? Yunobo had came here originally for Boss’s pain medication.

Revali and Urbosa wait for them as they come back across. Link floats by on the updrafts in the area while Daruk and Yunobo jump and dive in and out of the lava. Seemingly unscathed.

Once on the path, Daruk smiles widely at the pair of them. “I see you’ve already got some protection. Feeling better now?”

“Much, thank you, Daruk,” Urbosa smiles, touching the helm.

“Glad to hear. It’s the least I could get you.” Daruk then wraps his arm over Yunobo’s shoulders, who looks up at him only slightly startled. “Kid here, got himself stuck behind a landslide. Lucky we found him!”

Yunobo nods with a small smile, “Y-Yeah. I was really stuck there. Thanks again for coming to find me.”

“Course! We Goron got to look out for each other,” Daruk says, smiling fondly down at Yunobo.

“Can we go back to the stable now?” Revali asks, looking to Link, “I’m dying.”

Frowning, Link looks between Urbosa, Daruk, then back to Revali.

Urbosa frowns back at the other two, “I actually want to stay here for the day. Daruk and Yunobo owe me a tour of the place.”

“Yeah, but I can’t walk around here that long,” Revali complains almost immediately.

“Didn’t you say something about shrine hunting today?” Daruk asks Link, who looks conflicted as all hell.

Finally, the Hylian pulls out his Sheikah Slate.

“You could drop Revali off with Mipha and then come back. She should be told about the armor anyway,” Urbosa says offhandedly.

Daruk frowns, “What about it?”

“The armor won’t help her in the mountain. She’ll have to stay in the stable.”

Daruk’s eyes widen, “That’s not on!”

Urbosa nods, “I know. Suppose we’ll just have to teleport back to the stable when we’re in dire need. I’m sure she won’t mind waiting at the shrine for us.”

Revali rolls his eyes, “Poor fish has to sit out on a lot of physical labor and hardship. Surely she’ll be downtrodden.” Earning a light smack from Urbosa.

Link tugs on a couple of Revali’s wing feathers, making the Rito yelp, “What is it?” Link taps the blank section of his map next to the Eldin region.

“What is it now?” Urbosa asks nosily, looking over Link’s shoulder, “What’s over there?”

Link coughs, and then clears his throat before answering, “Someone at the stable said it’s where Akkala is.”

Urbosa’s nods understandingly, “Then you’re wanting to see Robbie?”

“Robbie? Who’s that, some big shot?” Daruk asks, leaning in closer, pulling Yunobo in with him.

“He’s a part of the Sheikah researchers. The ones who figured out the Resurrection shrine along with all of the other technologies,” Urbosa explains patiently.

“We can at least get the tower today,” Link shrugs, looking up to Revali.

Sighing, Revali agrees, “Anything but staying in this heat. No offense, Daruk.”

“None taken.”

Urbosa adds, “Make sure to come back later today then for your armor.”

“Yes Mother,” Revali rolls his eyes. Link slowly pushes Revali off to the side, and the rest of the party waves them off as they teleport off the mountain.

At the Mo’a Keet shrine, Mipha is lounging peacefully with her small collection of papers. She smiles up at them happily when they appear fully before her.

“Are they able to make the armor?” She asks hopefully.

Revali sits down beside her as Link keeps his eyes focused on his Slate. Looking around the general area, there is only one tower that seems appropriately close and in the right direction. So he marks it and by then Revali has explained the armor situation to Mipha.

Sad, but understanding, Mipha tries not to look too disappointed.

“So this whole trip…and I don’t even get to see Daruk?”

Having marked the tower, Link puts the Slate away and then puts a reassuring hand on her shoulder as he takes a seat next to her.

Revali says then, “I’m sure he’ll come down to see you.” Link squeezes her shoulder, and Mipha nods solemnly.

“I hope he does. He and Urbosa seem to be getting along again. I’d like to have that as well.”

Looking for something else to talk about, Revali glances at her papers, saying, “Have you discovered anything about your trials yet?”

Mipha brightens up then, “Yes! See, I believe actually that there is a high chance of a trial being just to the east of these isles,” She pulls out a map that was partially covered before, “in Lanayru Sea. They are the Tinkle Isles. The trial itself is a bit vague, but I suspect if I were to investigate it in person then it might be easier to understand.”

“Fascinating,” Revali comments.

Link then leans around Mipha to get Revali’s attention before motioning towards the tower behind him.

“Oh, right. We should get going though, Mipha.”

Mipha’s face falls slightly, “So soon?” She looks to Link, who nods sympathetically.

“We thought we would go after a tower. To pass the time waiting on the armor,” Revali explains briefly. He gets up then and wipes off his pants.

Mipha’s face lights up again, but she looks conflicted between her papers. Link notices and stays sat with her as Revali continues to preen after being on the dirty shrine.

“Do you want to come with us?” he asks quietly, watching her face. She blushes from the attention, but furrows her brow.

“I really should just stay here. Work on my trials, you know?”

“I could really use a riding partner?” Link offers with a little smile.

Mipha looks back at him, happily dubious, “Could you honestly?”

“Goddess knows _I’m_ not carrying him the whole way there. Are you coming or not?” Revali says, blustering his way back into the conversation.

Smiling, Mipha and Link retrieve Apple and Urbosa’s horse from the stable. While they ride, Revali flies lazily overhead. Always keeping an eye out for Ganon’s beasts.

While the occasional stop is made to dispatch enemies, they still come up around to the Akkala Span by noon. With a spear across her lap, Mipha waves at Revali to get his attention and they take a lunch break before going any further. The view of the Akkala Tower in the distance is breathtaking.

“That looks to be a large structure surrounding it, wouldn’t you say? I wonder what it used to be before the Calamity,” Mipha says pleasantly while pulling out the dried fish she had brought along. Revali and Link also contemplate the tower, mouths full of mushrooms and rice.

Together they all sit by the edge of the canyon the bridge covers, the grass around them blowing a little in the breeze.

“It reminds me of the Temple from the Great Plateau,” Revali says plainly.

Mipha nods, “Yes, I could see that. Maybe it is a bigger temple. Or maybe something along the lines of a cathedral…”

Whatever it is, Link thinks as he eyes the structure, it looks like the breeding ground for monsters now.

When everyone finishes off their meal, they all slowly get up to head over to where they had let the horses loose to graze. Link offers Mipha a hand up into her saddle that she takes appreciatively. After Link mounts, Revali walks closely by his horse, unwilling to fly so soon after eating.

As they approach the Akkala Tower, the road continues on and it takes them a moment to realize that they had missed the turn. Looping around, they find the way overgrown. Carefully, they make their horses treed off the beaten path.

Not too far along, they find a Hylian man fighting a Moblin. Quickly, Link and Mipha dismount while Revali takes to the air. But when Revali gets a full eye of the building surrounding the tower, his breath catches, making him lose sight of the battle below.

Link, however, already has his sword drawn and him and Mipha edge closer to the Moblin before giving it a pair of killing blows. The Moblin falls easily.

Revali almost trips when he goes to make his landing beside his fellow Champions, his eyes still on the building before them.

The Hylian smiles gratefully to Mipha and Link though, and introduces himself as Nell.

“Here, please, take these meals I made. I’m a dab hand with a blade, but you… Well, my hat is off for you two. These were for my pilgrimage, but I have a feeling they will be put to better use in your hands.”

“You’re on a pilgrimage?” Mipha asks happily, putting her spear on her back before taking Nell’s gifts.

Nell smiles sadly, “Well, I was. The bridge here is busted down though. And besides, the rest of the Citadel looks to be overrun with Guardians.”

Mipha looks beyond Nell to the citadel in question. True to his word, the bridge that would have connected this area to the next is missing most of its brick. It cuts off where Nell stands, which must have blocked him from running any farther from the Moblin in the first place.

Link and Mipha finally get their first real look at the Akkala Citadel. In ruins, the citadel is covered in Malice and various possessions of the Guardians. A cool breeze feels like a constant here, giving the party a slight chill.

“That’s the Akkala Citadel Ruins. Long ago, at the peak of Hyrule’s power, they built a fortress to protect Akkala. It was said to be unassailable, but during the Great Calamity, Hyrule Castle fell… The army had no royalty to lead them.”

Concerned, Mipha looks to Link, whose brow is scrunched together in an unintelligible expression.

“With no other choice, they fell back to this citadel to make their last stand. The Hyrulean Knights and Soldiers were outnumbered, and ultimately the Kingdom of Hyrule fell here,” Nell continues, looking over the citadel, “I came to pay tribute to an ancestor that had fallen here. But this is all the farther I’ll go.”

When Link looks back to Nell, he notices the Soldier’s chainmail and insignia that the other man is wearing. This is Nell’s history, as much as his own. Nell turns away from the party to look at the Citadel, leaving everyone else to talk between themselves. Wondering what they’ll do now.

“Should I fly up there?” Revali asks quietly, concerned for the others’ safety with the presence of Guardians close by. Before he can think, Link is shaking his head, worrying Revali.

“Maybe we should wait to take on the Citadel,” Mipha suggests carefully, “We may require more specialized equipment to proceed.”

Again Link shakes his head, still eyeing the Citadel. Without much more preamble, Link walks back off the bridge to then turn around. He makes a running dash off the bridge and pulls out his paraglider at the last moment to then glide on over to the other half of the bridge. Mipha watches, pained, as he grapples with the rock.

Bemused, Revali comments, “Sometimes there is something that possesses that boy. I don’t know what it is, but I wish it would listen to reason.”

“He wouldn’t be Link if it did,” Mipha says sadly. Slowly, rain drops start to fall onto her skin. Link slips a little on the rock before jumping up. Revali tenses before Link safely grapples up over the ledge.

Mipha cups her hands as she yells to Link, “At least put your best armor on!”

Link looks wide around him until he locks eyes with her, and then puts a thumb up in her direction. She sighs loudly, much to Revali’s amusement.

Grabbing for her storage, Mipha starts talking again, “You might as well take these. They have a lot of regenerative properties in them that he’ll probably need later.”

Revali takes the Hearty Simmered Fruit from her with a frown. Off on the other side, he can see Link stretching his bare leg out from behind a Guardian husk. Hopefully changing. The rain is starting to pour.

“You know…” Revali says, unwilling to fly over to Link just yet, “A little bird told me…” He trails off, not sure how to say this. Mipha looks to him questioningly. Eyes darting, Revali resolves to look away. “What made you think that things would work out? Before the Calamity?”

“What..?” Mipha’s face scrunches in confusion, but nonjudgmentally she asks, “I…are you asking me what made me think we could beat Ganon?” 

“No,” Revali answers back quickly, wishing he hadn’t started the conversation at all. This is beyond unnecessary. Mipha wouldn’t want to know that Link had told him about this private issue between them. “I… nevermind. Pretend that I didn’t say anything.”

Stunned, Mipha agrees, “I oh… okay…” For a moment she watches Revali, who waits patiently for Link to finish dressing. Thinking, her mind wanders to what that could be about, but her mind draws a blank.

Link peaks his head over the Guardian husk, dressed from the waist down. Just wanting to leave this weird feeling he’d made between them, Revali spreads his wings, but stops when Mipha presses down on one of his wings.

“Who is the ‘little bird’ you mentioned?”

Conflicted, Revali hunches over. Her hand on his wing means Mipha probably won’t let him go until he says something. Does it have to be the truth?

“Link. Link told me something… but we don’t have to talk about it. Actually, I’d rather we didn’t.” Apparently, it does.

Mipha tilts her head, “Do you mean…” Her face goes blank as she thinks of only one thing that this could be about. “I…well…” She pauses before looking at him in confusion, “He told you about that?”

“I didn’t think you’d like that,” Revali admits, letting his wings droop even more.

“Then why ask about it?”

“I…” Revali fishes, lost in the meaning of his own reasons, “I’m not too sure. It just… struck me as rather… _brave_ of you to make something like that. To plan to propose like that. After a war.”

This only leaves Mipha more confused, “You… _You think I’m brave?_ ”

Shrugging helplessly, Revali pulls his wing out from under Mipha’s hand. “Don’t say I never said anything nice about you.” He takes off then, leaving with the last word.

On the other side of the broken bridge, Link holds the Soldier’s Helm. He admires it for only a moment before Revali flies above a Guardian husk, making it come to life. In a flash, Link slams the helm on his head and pulls out a shield.

Having only practiced this move a couple of times, Link blindly puts himself between the Guardian and Revali. From the other side of the bridge, Mipha watches frantically as Link’s shield breaks under the Guardian’s beam. Thankfully, Link looks uninjured.

“You three have a complicated relationship I take it,” Nell speaks up, smiling as he watches the other two Champions fight the Guardian. Mipha starts, having forgot that he was there all along.

Upset in more ways than one, Mipha responds rather shortly, “It’s not exactly like I had wished it to be this way.”

After two more shields, Revali has already perched himself safely farther up along the Citadel. Seeing Revali safe, Link ducks for cover, eventually losing the interest of the stationary Guardian. Link takes a moment to breath, then climbs up the side of the building. Eventually he rolls himself up to the edge that Revali is waiting for him on.

Revali clucks, “You know, if you had just let me fly us to the top, this would be much quicker. And safer.”

“Don’t want to just go to the top,” Link huffs, lying flat on his back. His helm makes a little clanging sound when it hits the stone.

Revali’s face softens at that and he refrains from commenting anymore. Instead, he walks quietly by Link’s side as they clamber up the sides of the Citadel. Sometimes they run into the wayward Bokoblin, but they stay quiet the entire time.

After the last dash from a Guardian, the two Champions find themselves at the top of the Citadel. Bokoblins still litter the area, so they take the time to dispatch the last of them before they let themselves take a look around.

Always Link’s shadow, Revali watches as Link interacts with the ruins. It is curious how there have been no skeletons to be found anywhere. The only signs of the siege that was laid here is the odd, rusting sword. Maybe a chest.

Inside the rooms here though, they run into the random writing room. Spilled bottles of dried out ink. Maybe what once used to be a bedchamber: it is honestly hard to tell. Link moves through it all rather blankly.

Done with looking at the interiors of the Citadel’s top floor, they move out to the outer rim. They stumble upon a row of cannons, so strange in their displacement. Revali can’t be sure that he’s ever seen the weapon before and yet he knows their name. Link runs his hands lightly over the wet metal, eyes distant.

Revali takes a moment to enjoy the view. You can see so much of Hyrule from here. It’s on par for the breathless feeling Revali had had on first seeing the Citadel itself. Mipha and Nell look like ants down below. Revali can’t believe he actually walked up to this height. He’s sort of happy that Link had made them both walk up here, it gives him a strange feeling of accomplishment.

When Revali looks over to Link, Link is closer to the tower, but his eyes are staring off into nothing. Like a daydream. Or more like what Revali had feared: a memory.

As Revali comes over to him, Link snaps out of it fairly quick and gives him a wide-eyed look.

“Good memory?” Revali asks carefully, keeping some space between them.

Link merely shrugs, glancing up at him before looking back at the cannons. He mumbles something about training before he pulls out his paraglider.

“You ready to leave that soon?”

Link nods sadly and Revali can’t really blame him. So the Rito spreads his wings and the pair of Champions rise up into the air. Link catches himself onto the side of the Tower while Revali flies up higher to the Tower’s top. Silently, Revali waits as Link climbs the rest of the slick rungs up.

He takes his Slate over to the pedestal, makes the Akkala Tower flare with blue light, and they’re done. Link takes out his paraglider again, and they glide slowly back down to Mipha and Nell. When they land, Link lets his paraglider slip from his hands as he reaches for Mipha. Understandingly, Mipha reaches for him as well and they stand there hugging for a little while. Revali picks the paraglider up after Link.

As they part, Link peals away towards the horses, not looking back at anyone else. Mipha follows after him, but when she reaches him, Link just hands her the Sheikah Slate, saying, “You guys can go on. I’ll catch up.”

Revali isn’t keen to let Link travel back to the stable by himself, but Mipha insists. Frowning, Revali lets her teleport him away. Leaving Link to his thoughts.

At the Mo’a Keet Shrine, Revali walks with Mipha to the stable.

“Was it that bad?” Mipha asks quietly next to him.

Revali has to think about it before answering, “It was surprisingly tame. There were no bodies, just lots of Malice. Lots of debris.”

“I suppose I won’t get to know how he feels about it all until he feels ready to talk,” Mipha says sadly, not really speaking directly to Revali anymore. But Revali agrees with her regardless.

It’s getting later in the afternoon and Revali knows he should go see the armorer again. He takes an elixir and then quietly asks for the Sheikah Slate. He gives Mipha one last unhappy glance, before heading on over to Goron City.

Upon entering the city, Revali instantly finds Daruk and Urbosa sitting around outside with Blundo.

Urbosa gives him a smirk over Daruk’s shoulder when she sees him coming, which he replies with a small nod. “How was the tower?” She asks casually, interrupting whatever drivel Daruk had been pouring.

“Oh, hey, birdbrain. Wondered when you’d show up again,” Daruk says loudly as Revali comes to stand beside him.

“Tower was a bit more than we expected, but we handled it expertly. As we always do,” Revali answers Urbosa briefly. Then nods to Daruk in acknowledgement.

“Why, what was so special about it this time around?” Urbosa asks, pulling up her leg to lean on it.

Revali grimaces, searching for a brief answer. “It… Must have… Well it _was_ built on top of. More specifically, the Hylians built a citadel on the land the Akkala Tower was buried under. We had to climb the citadel to reach the top.”

Daruk raises an eyebrow, “Why not fly?”

“Link did not want to fly. He wanted to look at the citadel more closely. It was… a significant place.”

Urbosa leans back understandingly, “Ah, one of _those_ kinds of places. Did he get a memory from it?”

Frowning, Revali shifts his weight before answering, “I... _believe_ so. But he did not talk about it if that was the case. He was very quiet during the whole visit. More quiet than he has been with me recently.”

“Poor little guy,” Daruk says, leaning back on his hands, “That can’t be easy. Seeing only ruins of your old life like that.”

Sighing, Revali shakes his head, “It is a lot. Can we just go get our armor? I’d like to be back at the stable before Link returns. He is bringing the horses back himself this time.”

“Always a strange kid,” Urbosa says as she heaves herself up to her feet, “Let’s get going then.”

Urbosa and Revali watch curiously as Daruk takes it on himself to roll through the city.

When the show up to the armor shop, the store owner brightens up. Quickly he starts to pull out two metal boxes, which he then drops in front of their respective new owners. Daruk watches happily as Urbosa and Revali try on the pieces. Finding most of the armor very wearable.

However, Revali did have one complaint. To make room for his beak, the armorer had removed the normal scuba-esque paneling off the front of the helm. Instead, he had put a grey cloth over the empty hole: giving Revali a distracting curtain over top of his beak.

“You should be happy I know much about Rito autonomy at all,” The store owner says, almost teasingly friendly. Too chummy in Revali’s opinion. “Ritos release a lot of heat through their beaks, so it is important that part of your body is protected as well. Some covering was needed and I did not have enough time to make the specific chainmail necessary to cover that much surface area. Dipping the cloth regularly in fireproof elixir will have to do.”

Grumpily, Revali jerks his head around to demonstrate the way the curtain flips about. The store owner just shrugs, and it gives everyone else a little laugh anyway.

Besides this, Urbosa’s pants are only slightly too big, so they have to wait an additional half hour before they are allowed to leave the shop with all of their armor.

“Daruk,” Revali asks, trying not to mess with his beak curtain anymore, “Do you think you could come to the stable? I really think it would be a good idea for you to visit Mipha before we go into your Divine Beast.”

“Yes, we wouldn’t want a repeat of what happened at Mipha’s Beast. That was all a bit of a mess,” Urbosa agrees. They all stop alongside the street, but Daruk doesn’t seem too sure.

“Do you really think she’ll want to see me? After the hot spring…”

Revali tries and fails at refraining to roll his eyes, “Mipha wants almost nothing more than to see you. Her face will light up like a firefly’s behind when she sees you.”

Laughing, Daruk finally agrees. They all bunch together closely, and teleport back to Mo’a Keet. If Revali exaggerated in saying this was his twentieth walk down from this particular hill today, well it wasn’t the largest exaggeration he had ever made. He’s almost completely sure on that anyway.

Looking around, it’s clear that Link hasn’t made it back yet. Revali takes the time to set about making a decently large meal for tonight. It’s the first time in months since they have all been together. He isn’t much to celebrate really, but Revali wants to make a night of it if at all possible.

Meanwhile, Urbosa walks into the stable to find Mipha. As she goes in, Daruk stands awkwardly outside of the stable. Mipha sits at one of the tables with a little lantern lighting her papers. When Urbosa comes up behind the Zora, she shuts the book Mipha has and starts to collect the papers up into a pile.

“Hey! I was looking at those!” Mipha complains, looking crossly up at Urbosa.

“All day I might add. You need a break.”

Mipha frowns as she crosses her arms, “I took a break with Revali and Link earlier.”

“Well you could take another one with Daruk now, if you’d like,” Urbosa mentions, now having all of the papers straightened up. She even folds them into a square and picks up the leather cord she has seen Mipha use to tie the papers up together.

“I... can?” Mipha asks slowly. She pushes her chair back, which Urbosa gladly moves out of the way to allow. “Where… where is he?”

Head bent, Daruk looks shyly into the stable, “I’m right here.”

Wide eyed, Mipha turns to Daruk and rushes up over to him. Only stopping out of shyness once in arms distance of him. However, Daruk doesn’t stand much for that and swipes her into a big hug, lifting her clean off the ground.

“I’m so sorry about the hot spring, and saying you didn’t care, and splitting off from you guys. I’m so sorry,” Daruk says deeply, squeezing the dear daylights out of the Zora.

She wheezes, “It’s okay, Daruk, I swear. Please let me breathe-“ Daruk loosens his tight grip and she takes a deep inhale, “-I’m sorry as well. You were right, all of our interests were aligned anyway-“

“Yes, yes, we were all right in our own special ways. Please don’t cry about it now,” Urbosa says annoyingly, waltzing over to the huggers with Mipha’s papers. This only makes Daruk pick her up into his hug as well, though, so ultimately she just looks as close to tears as the rest of them.

“Thank you for coming to see me,” Mipha says happily, squeezing all of Daruk’s shoulder that she can.

Not too far away now, Link rides Apple at a slow gait. The reins for Urbosa’s horse are hooked around the front of his saddle, so Link rides absentmindedly.

The Citadel didn’t provide much in terms of any in depth memories, but rather of flashbacks. None of them containing much information. Just emotions and an understanding of procedures that the soldiers were taught in relation to the fort itself. However, vague images of faces he once had apparently known well, he knows, will haunt him now more than ever. It will be hard to take the Soldier’s gear off once he gets to the stable.

Groaning, Link leans up over his saddle and onto Apple’s mane. The horse shakes her head, but otherwise allows it. Link wishes they didn’t have to keep coming back around to all this old regret. He wanted to be optimistic. They are going to win this fight! But it’s so hard to be that when everywhere they go… It’s just another reminder of how badly they failed the last time.

What if this time, Zelda releases Ganon and that’s it. Everything that the people had scrapped together after the Calamity…

Link sighs, rubbing his face. He’s starting to think in circles.

He straightens up in the saddle as the stable comes into view. His catches eye of a happier sight. The Champions all sit around the communal pot, talking amongst themselves. Smiling. Slowly, Link goes for his Sheikah Slate and takes a picture of them all together. It makes his heart feel warm.

He sits smiling down at his Slate as Apple pulls up closer and closer to the stable. Did it feel like this before? Had they always been this close? He hopes so. The idea that it could take the world burning before they could get to this point with each other… The thought made him sort of sad. He’s been sad a lot today.

Link puts the Sheikah Slate away and tugs Apple over to the stable’s front desk. Gladly, he hands the reins over to one of the eager stable hands. Then he turns on his heel to head over to the pot, where all of the Champions watch him patiently. Their happier faces now sobered some.

“Hey, runt. Have a good ride?” Daruk asks loudly, jostling Urbosa who leans against him with a bowl of rice balls and buttered meat in her hands.

Giving him a small smile, Link nods. Then he finds a comfortable seat on the ground between Urbosa and Revali. Revali leans over to grab a bowl that had been placed close to the fire. He then gives Link this bowl, filled with its own meat and rice balls. Link thanks him profusely before he starts to dig in.

Thankful for the food and so much more, Link feels a stirring happiness again. It isn’t much, to live for these small moments. The times when his friends are happy and they are all taken care of.

It sure is satisfying, though, to live to be able to see it when it does happen. The way things are, Link will take every good moment he can get and never to take them for granted ever again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow guys! We've just went past 100,000 words I can't believe I've done this :D   
> This is by far not the end of our heroes journeys, but I can't begin to tell you how satisfying it is to know I've written something so long. It was so daunting it seemed before I had ever given it a chance. Letting my writing loose on this story has truly been worth while in expanding my writing and I can't thank you enough for supporting it. 
> 
> To those of you who have stuck through with the story, since it's conception especially, thank you so much! I couldn't imagine reading something like this for so long and it really makes me happy knowing that you've found it worth while to stick around as well. <3
> 
> Next update is coming next Tuesday.   
> Again thank you <3


	20. Eldin

The next day it is decided that they will go stop Rudania.

Mipha sets up a shop of sorts outside of the Mo’a Keet shrine. With her papers, maps, books and other resources to pool over, she promises the others that she’ll be more than preoccupied while she waits for their return.

And that if any of them should fall, they should not hesitate to bring them to her.

Link teleports Revali, Urbosa and Daruk to Goron City. Yunobo, who is sitting with Blundo, follows after the party as they pass by. Wanting to help, he offers to act as cannonball for their initial attack. Daruk seems hesitant to agree, but Yunobo’s puppy eyes convince him otherwise. It isn’t like the kid would be boarding the Beast anyway.

Urbosa and Link climb around the mountains, looking for heavy metal objects to hurl at the Guardian Skywatchers. Meanwhile Revali, Daruk, and Yunobo wait in varying states of patience. Daruk and Yunobo obviously not having the silent quickness, and Revali because of his weighted armor: keeping the avian grounded.

It isn’t even noon yet before they have Divine Beast Vah Rudania seized up down in the heart of the volcano.

On the lip, Yunobo trails behind everyone.

Looking back at his descendent, Daruk quietly tells the rest to wait up on him and then pulls back. “Hey, little man. This is the end of the road for you, right?”

Yunobo doesn’t really answer, just giving a noncommittal nod.

“Hey,” Daruk says, his voice a little harsher, catching Yunobo’s attention, “You’re too young for this. What would Boss say if you got hurt down there? Or killed.”

“I know-“ Yunobo starts to complain, but Daruk stops him.

“You can’t come with us. Is that understood?”

Dejected, Yunobo nods, looking away again.

Daruk sighs, “I appreciate all you’ve done, Yunobo. Honestly. I just… I can’t stand the idea of something happening to you down there.”

Frustrated, Yunobo blurts, “Well what about _you?_ What if something happens to _you?_ ”

“I’ll have Mipha to-“

“You don’t get it!” Yunobo throws up his hands.

Revali chirps up from his spot at the cliff, “We should hurry, Daruk. The Divine Beast could start back up any moment now.”

“We have to go,” Daruk says, putting his hand on Yunobo’s shoulder, “I’ll be fine, little man. Just stay strong for me. That’s all I’m asking.”

Conflicted looking, Yunobo hesitates before he pushes himself into Daruk’s arms.

“ _You_ stay strong, brother. We can’t wait another hundred years for you to come back,” Yunobo stammers and pulls away. His eyes are weepy and he quickly whips them before giving Daruk a big smile.

Daruk searches Yunobo’s face before also smiling, “Nah, not this time, brother. I’ve got this on lockdown.” Daruk pumps his fist and Yunobo returns the gesture.

Then Daruk turns to fellow Champions, waiting expectantly. “Cannonball!”

Daruk rushes them, only Link escaping his grip with the quick grapple to his paraglider. Revali and Urbosa get pulled into Daruk’s arms as he throws them all off the lip of the volcano. In midair, Daruk creates his bubble of protection, which softens their landing significantly when they reach Rudania. Urbosa rolls out of Daruk’s arms then, gagging from the vertigo. Revali glares at Daruk, obviously not pleased either.

Still, they all are safe on the deck of the Divine Beast and Link puts his Slate to the podium just like he had with Vah Ruta. As everyone looks around, Daruk spaces out for a moment. Urbosa comes to elbow him and he spooks before laughing, hand up behind his head.

However, as they progress into the Divine Beast it gets progressively darker, until it becomes clear that it is pitch black inside.

“Wonderful,” Revali comments drily. Urbosa pulls out her old torch, making it light instantly in the intense atmosphere. Link also pulls out a wooden weapon, and the group splits up some to venture into different sections of the main room.

It turns out to be a very large expanse, most likely taking up the majority of the body. Quickly, they are able to gain the map at the other end. Sighs of relief come when windows open up above, allowing light from the volcano to illuminate the Beast’s insides.

Tilting the Beast becomes apparently relevant upon seeing the locations to several of the terminals. It becomes a hot debate among the Champions. Wasting several moments on what the best course of action is to be.

Without Mipha, they often turn to Link to take sides. It becomes something he is quick to disregard, often taking the Slate on his own to make up everyone else’s mind over. Soon they just let him do what he wants, as he quickly works through the puzzles on his own.

While Link is shuffling around a metal box in another room, Revali mutters to Urbosa, “Who’d have thought he could problem solve? One would think his solution was to always hack at it until it broke.”

Urbosa shrugs, “Army personnel need more than brute strength to succeed. I think you purposefully underestimate him. Want to expand on that instead?”

“I-“ Revali blurts, caught off guard, “You think?”

Daruk rolls his eyes, “ _Yes._ It’s actually a pretty old shtick. I thought you had spent more time with him than that by now.”

“Just an old feeling, I suppose. An impression that hasn’t rubbed off fully,” Revali explains half-heartedly, eyes darting to check on Link’s progress. He’s messing with the Slate, so Revali positions one of his legs up against the wall in preparation. The other Champions follow his lead.

Urbosa raises her eyebrows at Revali, “An old feeling? How old?”

“Since we all woke up,” Revali answers honestly with a shrug, “Saw him and it was instantaneous. A reaction, as if… Well I suppose I did know him before. I didn’t know it then, obviously. I just considered the feeling to be that of a bad first impression.”

“Interesting,” Urbosa says noncommittally, seemingly lost in her own thoughts. Everyone shifts their weight as the walls change over into floors under their feet. Daruk studies Revali, apparently also contemplative, but more in the moment.

Curious, Revali speaks to him directly, “What do you think then? Could it have been an impression I had had of him before the Calamity?”

“I guess,” Daruk says, shrugging, “I can’t well say my impressions were that drastic. Sure, my first thought was that you were a feathered airbag, but that never proved to be untrue.”

“ _Hey-_ “

“It’s hard to say,” Daruk shrugs again, Urbosa smiling next to him.

She smiles at Revali then, almost leering, “You’re first impression did leave much to be desired, to be fair.” Revali just crosses his wings, avoiding the eyes of the other two. This is completely stacked against him.

Link comes out not much later, one last terminal to go. Everyone gathers as he motions for them to fall to him, and they look over his shoulder to look at the last one’s location.

Daruk scrunches his eyebrows together, “How are you supposed to get up there?”

“Well,” Revali drawls, mind still on their last conversation, “It is _your_ Divine Beast. Shouldn’t you know?”

“Shouldn’t _you_ know not to get on an elder’s bad side?” Daruk counters, narrowing his eyes at Revali.

“So you’re admitting to your age?” Revali quips, basically asking for someone to physically shut his beak for him. That someone being Urbosa.

Link motions for everyone to stay put, and he makes the Beast tilt before he clambers up on the steep slope that stretches across the Beast’s length.

“Should we really let him go up there by himself?” Revali asks after Urbosa loosens her hold on his beak.

“Too late now,” Urbosa says as Link flings himself out a window. A little wrench goes through Revali’s guts painfully.

It’s a bit of a tighter walkway than Link had planned on when he had first got up here. Getting the chests is ridiculously dangerous, but the precious commodities they hold are worthwhile. So he gets them. On the flat of Vah Rudania’s back, Link can see the Main Control Unit. He hopes he doesn’t get chewed out by the others, once they get an eyeful of what it’s like up here.

Mid-conversation, Revali takes pause as Urbosa repeats what she had just said a minute ago. “I understood you the first time,” Revali says drily as he looks up at her with bored eyes.

Urbosa catches herself mid-sentence, “I think- Wait… you’re right. What just happened?”

Daruk’s eyes narrow, “I had just answered you and then it’s like we all… Reverted back to before that.”

“…did we simultaneously forget a span of a couple of minutes? Did we actually… Are we simply that empty headed? Are we actually qualified for this?” Revali asks, confused beyond belief.

Urbosa slides down along the edge between wall and floor, “What in the world…”

Up on the spine of the Beast, Link stares wide eyed at the daytime sky. His breathing is harsh, his life having just flashed before his eyes. A little hungry, but outside of that and a rush of adrenaline-packed panic, he’s fine. Link squeezes his eyes shut and then opens them wide again. Hylia loves him very much.

With shaking hands, Link stress eats for a moment. Nothing a couple of shrooms down the hole can’t fix.

Still, his hands continue to shake as he gets up again. Not allowing himself to look down, Link carefully shuffles along the edge of the spine until he gets to the terminal. Once it’s been lite blue, Link then heads back down to where the window is.

Immediately the other Champions see him and he gives them a happy wave. He hopes his body will stop vibrating soon. Link then sets up the slope from them and one by one they all walk up, making Link smile. Since his Slate is still out, he doesn’t think it’ll hurt to get another picture. This one being of the other three balancing their way up, arms spread wide. Link almost likes this one better than the one from the night before.

Everyone works their way onto the Beast’s back, with only a minimal of Beast tilting to accommodate those with lackluster climbing abilities. Soon they were all gathered onto the Beast’s back.

Of course, Revali and Urbosa immediately notice the precarious placement of the final terminal, but blessedly neither comments on it. Though Revali does give Link an evil eye, which Link avoids.  

Daruk walks slowly towards the Main Control Unit, eyes searching the area. The air feels charged here, at least to him. It feels…

_The monster was huge, a horror beyond his nightmares. At least, that’s all Daruk could think of to note of before he was trying to clash with the… thing. It put up a hell of an attack, but Daruk works close. He could tell the Blight was tiring when Daruk got done in._

_His shield had become weaker as he battled with the Blight. But the Blight only grew stronger. An unpredicted fireball, large to almost all encompassing, tossing Daruk to the ground like he’s nothing._

The memory of a sword above him chases him as Daruk opens his eyes.

Uneasy, Urbosa shifts on her heels beside him, and she asks, “What is it, Daruk? Did you remember something..?”

Daruk rubs a hand back through his loose hair and he nods, “Yeah… Yeah that was a rough fight. I figured out some of his patterns though, so listen up…”

Daruk then gives directions to some of the counters against the Blight, which the others listen to keenly.

“I didn’t expect the one attack though. His fire attacks became more massive the longer we fought. Knocked me clear off my feet.”

Revali riffles through his quiver then to produce some of the ice arrows, “Do you think these could help at all?”

Daruk’s eyebrows raise and he considers them, “I’m not all too sure. It could be worth a shot. Save them for the fireballs. You could be our strongest defense against this thing.”

Revali nods understandingly and sorts his arrows to prioritize the ice ones.

“If you hold back behind us, Revali, Link, Daruk and I could take on the Blight by blade,” Urbosa picks up the command, “Is there anything else you could tell us about the final attack? Were there any signs that it changed technique?”

Daruk scratches his head, trying to remember, “It was all such a blur. I wish I could remember it better.” Urbosa pats his arm understandingly.

Daruk turns to Revali to point back towards the tail of the Beast, where Revali would be positioned safely away from the direct line of fire. Nodding, Revali peals back and away from the other three.

Daruk and Urbosa pull out their best one-handers: for Daruk, it’s a Knight’s Claymore and for Urbosa, she pulls out a Guardian Sword Link had lent to her ages ago. Just now getting its first use.

Once ready, Daruk and Urbosa nod at Link, who checks Revali’s position. With an ice arrow notched in his bow, Revali gives his go ahead. Link places the Sheikah Slate onto the Main Control Unit.

Malice creeps out of the Unit, quickly fogging the area. Link grabs for his sword, knowing how fast these things can react. The Scourge of Divine Beast Vah Rudania forms directly above them.

The Blight lowers himself, but barely has a chance to bring out his own sword before Urbosa and Daruk dash at it. Their initial blows cast the creature off-balance. The move creates room for Link to run in after them, hacking at the Blight with precise slices. Patiently, Revali waits as they slice into the Beast.

It isn’t long before the creature coughs Malice and lets out a pain filled roar. Not a fireball yet had been shot. Instead, it rears its head back and begins to suck in the air around them. The Champions bare down to stay in where they are. Revali’s eye never leaves the mouth of the Blight.

When the Blight finishes his intake, the fireball leaves his mouth. Link watches as the fire barely leaves the Blight before it is put out. Perplexed, the Blight looks around. Urbosa moves forward to retake its attention. It moves fast, trying to stay out of reach. Urbosa has to corral the Blight to move it closer to Daruk, Link assisting her on the Blight’s other flank.

This continues on until the Blight tires of the chase and starts conjuring another fireball. The Champions watch, sweat beading down their backs. Trying to move onto the Blight now would be futile.

The pattern repeats: Revali stops the fireball, Urbosa and Link corral the Blight, and Daruk switches between protective barriers and massive swings. Theoretically, this could be feasible. However, after one more repeat of the pattern, Urbosa’s Guardian Sword breaks. Daruk’s claymore doesn’t look much better.

With weaker weapons, Link thinks, their stamina will have to last even longer. The longer they fight, the more likely someone is to get hurt. What more can they do? An idea flashes in his mind, brief, but concise. The next time they break for the fireball charge, Link pulls out a round bomb.

The blue light catches Urbosa’s attention, and she whips her head in confusion as she watches Link chuck the bomb into the vortex of wind being sucked into the Blight’s mouth. All eyes are on the bomb as it circles up into the Blight and Link detonates the bomb. The Blight stops all motion, dropping down to the Divine Beast’s back.

The Champions splurge then, putting more effort into their attacks. For a moment, an electric crackle fills the air and then lightning strikes the Blight. It’s an effort well beyond needed, and the Fireblight cries in pain before in dissipates from existence. From his remains, a heart container drops daintily to the floor.  

Urbosa falls to her knees, her face scrunched in pain. Shocked, Daruk and Link turn to her aid immediately. Link gets close, looking for wounds. Not a scratch to be found, but the palms of her hands are fried looking. The flesh there is red, looking freshly burnt. Her old weapon is nowhere in sight.

Quickly, Revali rushes over. He picks up the trinket that fell earlier and gathers to Urbosa. Without a second thought, Link pulls out his Slate to teleport them to Mipha.

Tears running down her eyes, Urbosa looks up at Link, quietly speaking, “No. Not yet. Use the Sheikah Slate on the Control Unit. Hurry up, I can take it.”

Torn, but ultimately trusting Urbosa’s word, Link runs to the Main Control Unit. He replaces the Slate back on the podium and the Divine Beast turns blue. Their job is done for now.

At Mo’a Keet Shrine, Mipha nibbles on her bread. It’s the first loaf she can remember ever having, provided courtesy of the stable employees. It’s also all she can stand to eat as she waits impatiently for her team to come back from Goron City. It’s only late morning, but she’d wish they would come back already.

Spread out around her are several medical implements. Lots of it is centered on healing burns. No doubt, any Blight of Daruk’s would have something to do with the heat. Even if everyone is decked out to withstand it, Mipha sighs then, everyone but her.

The light on the shrine’s stage lights up and Mipha throws her loaf onto one of the linen blankets she has laid out. That particular blanket also has a lot of equipment used for amputations, which she desperately hopes she won’t ever have to use.

However, all of the other Champions are standing straight up as they form before her. A good sign. Then Urbosa walks towards her, hands outstretched. Mipha thinks for a moment that the Gerudo is asking for a congratulatory hug, but is taken aback when she sees the massive damage.

“Oh, _Urbosa_ ,” Mipha cries, turning frantically to her ointments. She couldn’t be more grateful for her own forethought.

“You won’t believe the story for this one,” Urbosa says jokingly, but sways. Daruk has his hands supporting her in a flash, and he picks her up then to sit her right beside Mipha.

Looking at Urbosa’s hands again, fearing to see bone, Mipha sighs in relief when she doesn’t. “Whatever it is, I’m sure it was heroically dead-brained. Rest your elbows on your legs. This will take awhile.”

“We did it, though,” Daruk says proudly, taking a seat next to Urbosa. Mipha smiles at the news as she pulls out her chosen ointments. She hands them to Link, who starts unscrewing the tops while she gathers some gauze and then thicker wraps for on top of that.

As Link sets down the open jars, Mipha will pick one up to scoop with her fingers and then smear over Urbosa’s hands. The first ointment is a numbing one, Urbosa learns this intimately, as it soothes her pain almost instantly.

“Once this circulates through your system, you’ll get a little loopy… but I’m sure that is preferable to the pain you’re in now.”

“What pain?” Urbosa asks, a smile slipping easily onto her face.

Some stress leaves Mipha’s shoulders and she answers, “That’s the right answer.”

“How bad are the burns?” Revali asks nosily, craning his beak over Urbosa’s shoulder.

“Not that bad anymore,” Urbosa smiles up at him.

Mipha huffs a laugh as she rubs off the last ointment from her own fingers so that she can dip into a new jar. “She’ll get loopier as the night goes on. These burns are pretty bad. We’re lucky it’s only muscle deep… It will take over a month to get her hands back to being usable. Let alone that they’ll be too sensitive for sword work for awhile afterword.”

Daruk lifts his eyebrows in shock, “She won’t like that when she comes back around.”

“Hey, I’m still around!” Urbosa says, a little out of it, but coherent enough, “And I don’t like it now!”

“Shhh, I… I know O’sea. You’ve done so well. Keep doing well for me, okay? Stay still,” Mipha chides, the more agitated Urbosa grows. Slowly, Urbosa settles back down into her stupor. Maybe even forgetting the conversation entirely as the medication makes its way from her arms to her heart and brain.

“O’sea?” Revali asks, taking a look at her other medical equipment.

Mipha blushes slightly as she turns Urbosa’s hands to double check her coverage. “She calls me pet names all the time. And I think O’sea is… cute enough.”

“Aw, a pet name. You two have gotten close, haven’t you?” Revali teases, making the Zora princess blush. Daruk shoves Revali for her, making the Rito chuckle. The sound catches Link’s ear, and his eye watches Revali for a moment before he continues taking stock of Mipha’s supplies. There really is a lot here.

“Oh,” Revali starts, pulling something from his storage, “We also got this little trinket from the Blight. After he exploded and everything.” Revali pulls out the heart container, which Mipha recognizes.

“We got one of those from the Waterblight as well.”

“What do you think it’s for?” Revali asks, turning the container in his wingtips. It looks delicate, with what looks to be gold framing the red substance inside. Though he can’t decide if said substance is a liquid or a gas.

Link gives the container a thoughtful glimpse before he’s eyes widen.

“That’s for me,” Link blurts, surprising the rest of them.

Revali is the first to move then, chuckling, “Is that so? How do you figure?”

Blushing, Link fidgets, then he explains, “I only see them for a second. Those are the containers the Goddess gives me. For vitality.”

Revali’s eyes widen and he inspects the container closer, “That’s interesting. What does it do exactly? Besides being for ‘vitality’.”

Confused, Link isn’t really sure how to answer. What more could you use it for? He just squints at Revali, hoping a little that Revali will just retract the question.

“Vitality is the strength of your essence, Revali. That is more than a lot to ask out of the Goddess to provide,” Mipha explains, her tone a little crisp.

Revali frowns back at Mipha, “And how would you know? Do you also pray for these things?”

“No, but it makes sense,” Mipha says, finishing up the outer wrapping for Urbosa’s left hand. From lower forearm to fingertip, it’s wrapped with great care. Mipha continues as she picks up more wrapping, “As Link prays for more vitality, his essence… Well I didn’t want to say anything to upset you-“ Mipha makes eye contact with Link, “-but after you pray, I can notice how you take up a little more… Presence… If that makes sense? Your aura grows stronger.”

Link’s face turns redder, not realizing it was such a noticeable change. Even if it was just one person who noticed.

Thoughtful, Mipha lists on about the subject, “I first noticed the changes when you came back from the Temple of Time. However, I couldn’t place the feeling. I had no notion of theology and the very real implications of the otherworldly hold the Goddess has over us. Let alone how much She affects our day to day life, as the creator of our world. Of our races even.”

“She did that, did she?” Daruk asks, open-minded as ever.

“That and much more. If you’d like, I could read aloud some texts that I found in the royal library. I promise, they are quite enlightening.”

Revali tries not to roll his eyes, “Yes, that sounds like a grand time. Well, here then,” he holds the heart container out to Link, “Take it then. Enhance your essence, or whatever.”

Link arches an eyebrow at Revali, but takes the container gratefully. All eyes are on Link as the moment of skin contact with the heart container activates its true purpose. In a white light, the container disappears into Link’s being.

“Amazing…” Mipha murmurs. Link turns to her and she coughs in her hand. Then gives Urbosa’s right hand its final round of wrapping. As she ties it together, she adds, “I’m sorry I do not have the heart container from my Divine Beast. I thought it wise to leave it in my room, for safe keeping. If you’d like, I can grab it for you. I’ll need to gather more of these ointments for Urbosa anyway.” Link nods in agreement, and Mipha gives him a small smile.

Then she looks into Urbosa’s face, who has been eerily quiet this whole time. The Gerudo sways, her eyes closed. She has been snoozing peacefully for some time now. Mipha smiles pitifully before turning to Daruk, “Can you take her to the stable? She’ll need a bed for the night. I doubt she’ll wake up anytime soon.”

They watch as Daruk carefully lifts her up, Revali commenting, “Good medication, huh?”

Mipha gets a little cheeky, “Only the best. She’s earned it.”

Faux insulted, Revali brings up an insulted wing, “Would you not give me the same treatment?”

She looks like she might keep up the act, but Mipha breaks, giggling, “Of course I would, Revali. Of course.” Mipha settles down after a moment more of giggling. She shakes her head and looks around at all her supplies. “I’ll have to clean this all up now. I’m glad I didn’t have to use too much of it though. You guys did well.”

Link moves to help her as she begins picking up her things, but Mipha stops his hand with a glance, “Oh, no, I’ll be fine, Link. Please don’t touch anything. I don’t want to have to reorganize it later.” He retracts his hand, frowning. “Can you leave the Slate with me? I’ll go to the Domain and be right back.”

Feeling unhelpful, Link nods and places the Slate down beside her. Shuffling awkwardly, he waits until Mipha gives him a little smiling nod and then he takes his leave. Revali follows close by his side.

The two then meet up with Daruk outside the stable.

“So about that final blow,” Daruk says to them, maybe a little too loudly. Other travelers look to him curiously, but he pays no mind. Daruk crosses his arms over his chest, “That was a lot of lightening. Don’t know if either of you noticed, but I’m pretty sure Urbosa generated it during her windup.”

“I saw it strike when she struck,” Revali comments.

Daruk nods, “Yeah, no coincidence. Think that’s her… magic? Her special ability?”

Link’s eyebrows raise and he can’t fight that logic. Revali also agrees, but more verbally, “Must be. Don’t tell her then, but I’m a little jealous. Lightening is a seriously cool ability to have.”

Daruk laughs at that, “And when aren’t you jealous, birdbrain?” Revali frowns at that, causing the Goron to guffaw. More people turn to stare at them. Link meets their eyes, making it awkward. They look away.

“Still,” Daruk mutters on, “If she gets burns like that every time, maybe it isn’t that great of an ability. Something she’ll have to put a cap on.”

“But if it doesn’t…” Revali says wistfully, purposely letting them imagine on their own. Urbosa was scary before. If she could master this new ability… Link shutters at the thought.

The memory he had had with the old Urbosa: her rigid appeal. Her serious, but attentive gaze… That was a woman who could raze entire villages on her own. Link suddenly had an unwavering certainty that Urbosa could control this power and possibly so much more.

Shuttering, Revali tears his helm off. “As much as I love gossiping, though, I must change. I have sweat soaking feathers that should not be soaked,” Revali mutters.

A stable hand, nosey as the rest, actually butts in then with a monologue pre-prepared, “Oh, there’s a great couple of hot springs lining the path at the foot of the mountain! Lots of people go up there, even to just clean off the grim. Traveling’s hard work, isn’t it?” They smile before running off to do… whatever it is that a stable hand has to do around a place like this. Sort hay or something.

A couple of confused, but resigned facial exchanges later and the three of them are almost to the hot springs. The springs aren’t far from the road at all, so they only have a few paces to go before they can start to take their weapons and equipment off.

“Nothing like a good soak after a hard day,” Daruk says lazily, already sinking into the water. He sighs as he shimmies down further and spreads his arms out.

“At least it isn’t fiery hot down here,” Revali mutters. His wingtips slip along the clasps. He sighs and looks over to Link, already and unfairly bare-chested. “Link?” Link stops fiddling with the clasps on his pants to look up, “Can you help a friend out? I can’t grasp these clasps right now.”

“So where to next?” Daruk asks casually.

Revali tries to use the conversation to keep his mind off of the Hylian’s deft hands, “Should we be heading to Rito Village then? I promised them safer skies sooner or later.”

“I’ve seen your Divine Beast in the sky,” Daruk says, lolling his head to the side in thought, “What does it do that scares your people?”

The last clasp falls away under Link’s hands and Revali rolls his shoulders out of the armor appreciatively. Link stands for a moment, seemingly stuck, before he moves away back to his own pile of clothing. Revali none the wiser.

Instead, he answers Daruk, “You can’t fly too close to the Beast. It has cannons that shoot lasers. So far, it is mostly harmless, but no one wants to fly to the surrounding areas of the village. Where we get our food and where we train. The village is cramped and everyone is anxious to fly again.”

Daruk groans, “Sounds almost as bad as what Rudania was doing. Collapsing path ways to the rock roasts, raising the thermal temperatures of the volcano. Blocking the city off from travelers. Was Mipha’s like this as well?”

Link gives Daruk a wavering hand gesture in response before he slides down into the water.

“More or less,” Revali repeats verbally, “Traveling was a trick: the rain was so heavy. It never stopped raining. More rain meant that the electric monsters surrounding the area were more dangerous than usual. It also meant that the large dam that is built overlooking the Domain was in risk of breaking down.”

“I’m glad that was taken care of then,” Daruk mutters thoughtfully.

Link nods and all is quiet as Revali joins them. For a moment they rest peacefully in the waters. Revali closes his eyes and leans his head back against the ground behind him.

Daruk speaks up again after awhile, “What do you think Urbosa’s Beast is like?”

“Urbosa’s?” Revali tilts his head, his eyes still closed, “It’s a desert landscape they live in. Maybe it is in the form of a large sandseal.”

“A desert, huh? Yet she can’t handle her heat,” Daruk laughs lowly, contrary to his earlier boastful attitude.

A thought strikes Link then, “Urbosa has lightening powers.”

“Yes, and..?” Revali asks, lifting his head to look at the Hylian.

“If… Urbosa can control lightening… Couldn’t her Divine Beast be lightening based?”

Daruk laughs heartedly, “Why, wouldn’t that be a mountain to climb!”

Revali, though, takes this closer to heart, “Well, Mipha’s was a Waterblight. She’s a Zora. Daruk’s Beast was in a volcano and was also coincidentally a Fireblight. I would be surprised if mine wasn’t a Windblight…”

Daruk’s laughter calms down, an unsettled face falling over him instead, “You can’t be serious…”

“What other elemental magic could a Divine Beast get out of a desert?” Revali asks, almost hoping someone else could come up with a different answer.

An eerily silence falls over the hot spring. Only the sound of the bubbling waters in the distance disturb the party’s thoughts.

“…maybe it has sand powers,” Daruk says helpfully. Link splashes him with a wave of water, breaking the serious tone they all were stuck in. Revali complains loudly when Daruk gets him caught up in his vengeful tidal wave. For now, at least, they spend their afternoon splashing in the hot springs.

Only two more Divine Beasts to go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are actually..? Half way through the story??? I think? That's so wild, I can't believe it's taken this long. But of course it has, I could write forever about these goofballs goofing their way through Hyrule.   
> Only reason I've gotten them this far through the actual plot is cause my bare minimal restraint said to. I want to write those sweet sweet post-game fics ya know. Weddings and shit. Rebuilding the castle. We will get there one dayyyyy
> 
> For now though, thank you for reading the latest chapter! Your comments are much appreciated and I'm so grateful to have so much feedback from you guys.   
> Next chapter coming next Tuesday. See ya then <3


	21. Eldin

_Urbosa looks around herself curiously. She’s in this castle again, reigning in all the emotions it gives her with practiced ease. Around her, her friends are eating a royal meal with none other than King Bosphoramus. The detestable man._

_It’s an awkward sort of dinner. Zelda is sitting to her father’s right, while he sits at the head of the table. On Bosphoramus’s left is Zelda’s uncle, her mother’s younger brother, visiting before he has to return to his home in Akkala._

_Then there are the Champions. Link sits beside Zelda, directly in front of Urbosa, who is sitting beside the uncle. Revali sits to Urbosa’s other side and Mipha is next to Link’s. Daruk takes up the space of a couple of chairs near the end of the table, sharing elbow space with Revali. No one is talking._

_Maybe it’s the presence of the King, Urbosa thinks. Bosphoramus really knows how to suck the atmosphere out of a room when he feels like it. Also knows how to put a shoe in the mouth faster than anyone else Urbosa knows._

_Zelda’s uncle coughs into his fist._

_“So,” he says, turning to Urbosa, “I’ve heard a lot about the desert. Never been there myself though. Is it true that your people make a sport out of riding seals?”_

_Urbosa catches Zelda’s eye. She looks entirely done with the dinner and they aren’t even two courses in yet._

_“That would be correct,” Urbosa assures the uncle smoothly, confusingly. How would she know? Her mouth forms the words for her, “It’s almost as much of a tradition as the law against foreign males. Many times in the year people will gather to watch the best shield surfers race on the sand dunes. My rupees are on Irvene of the Hakkut clan.”_

_“She is the best I take it,” the uncle says as he motions with a chunk of steak on his fork._

_“She is the underdog actually. But she has great spirit. I wish her the best of luck,” Urbosa answers with a mischievous smile._

_There is silence then again. Another course of food comes and goes. The King looks more tired as the time passes._

_After the next course leaves the table, Bosphoramus groans, “My apologies, but I must retire. Please, continue the meal without me. Good night,” He meets a few of their eyes and brushes his hand gently on Zelda’s shoulder before exiting the dining hall._

_Zelda’s uncle watches curiously, then turns to Zelda. He talks to her very secretively, like he is concerned that someone will overhear him, “How are your Sheikah studies going? Have you uncovered any new technology?”_

_Zelda sighs, “Not much more. We have discovered a lot of what was hidden under the earth, but making the technology work to our will is our next step. The Guardians aren’t moving at all yet. There is some power source that we are missing. The Director and I are searching for some sort of… Well, we aren’t sure exactly. The description of the power source is vague. Something relating to fire. A furnace of some kind.”_

_Her uncle nods along excitedly. Then he, too, has to stick his foot in his mouth, “And that’s all great and fun. But what is going on with your hidden power? Your father said he would ask you about your progress during dinner, and then he never did.”_

_The small light Zelda had got in her eye, from talking about her studies, goes out. “It is…a difficult process. Father…is used to hearing of how I have yet to master my powers. I am sure he is tired of hearing of it by now.”_

_“I see, I see,” her uncle nods, “I hope it isn’t creating a rift between you two. He does truly love you, you know. Only wants what is best for you and for Hyrule.”_

_“I am aware, Uncle,” Zelda says, looking down at her plate._

_Her uncle at least looks honestly repentant, lacking the uncompassionate flair that Bosphoramus has adopted as of late. “I’m sorry, pumpkin. I didn’t mean to make you upset.” Then why ask about this at all, Urbosa wants to say. It would be crass though._

_Thankfully, her uncle pushes away from the table. He makes his way over to Zelda, leaning in to hug her, “Good luck, little girl. You’ve got a lot of good people here supporting you. You’ll do great.”_

_“Thank you, Uncle,” Zelda says, muffled in the man’s suit layers._

_When they pull away, Zelda’s uncle is weepy-eyed. Zelda, however, remains her ever calm self. Her almost bland expression seems to chock her uncle up even more, to the dismay of the rest of the table._

_He squeezes her shoulder one more time before saying his Sav’orr._

_With the second stranger gone, Urbosa focuses now on her fellow Champions. Some of them still sit a little stiffly, surprising, though some seem to release a sigh of relief._

_Mipha, quiet and shy, stays stiff. Not budging an inch from her proper table form. Revali relaxes minutely, but also does not relax. While Daruk actually lets a sigh of relief out, shaking his head, “Took forever for those stuffed suits to leave.”_

_Link also relaxes, though it is merely to lean closer to his meal. The boy is always starving._

_While Zelda… Zelda doesn’t seem able to relax. Something about her makes Urbosa think she never knows how. Urbosa squints at Zelda, her mind wandering. Zelda has been too busy of late. Why is she here having dinner? She’s too busy with holding back…_

_The world distorts as Malice creeps up along the walls. Zelda’s eyes widen and she stands up from the table in a rush. In a blink of an eye her clothes change to her white prayer dress and gold._

_“It’s awake…Ganon.”_

_Everyone gets to their feet, throwing their chairs back._

_Daruk throws his arm wide to gesture to the exit, “Champions, to your Divine Beasts!”_

_The other Champions scatter. Zelda looks around helplessly and Urbosa feels the need to take her with. Link is waiting for her at the door, somehow patient. Seeing him so calm puts a pang through your heart._

_“Come,” Urbosa calls to Zelda, “We should go. We need to get you someplace safe.”_

_Urbosa reaches for Zelda, but the Princess’s eyes turn gold. Malice drips from the ceiling, coating Zelda’s hair in the filth. Urbosa tries to pull Zelda away, but Zelda releases surges of white-golden energy, pushing Urbosa away._

_When Urbosa recovers, opening her eyes again, she’s in Naboris. But good old friend Naboris doesn’t look too good today. Malice is creeping along the edges of the walls. Carefully, Urbosa approaches the heart, the Main Control Unit. Link is waiting for her there, his back turned to her._

_He has the Master Sword. When did he get the Master Sword?_

_“Link? What are you doing here?” Urbosa hears herself ask instead, her guard slipping, “Shouldn’t you be at the castle? What about Zelda?” Malice starts to flow out of the Main Control Unit. Urbosa reaches for her sword, but it stings her hand to touch it._

_Confused, Urbosa looks down at her hands to see them bandaged. Blood starts to seep through her palms. She tries to make them into fists, but the pain is unbearable. As she looks back up at the heart, Urbosa sees the Malice take over Link’s body. She yells for him._

_Slowly, Link turns toward her. His eyes are glowing red and his skin has turned an ashy grey. His hair floats around him eerily, now a pure white color. Link opens his mouth and lets out a horrible shrieking scream._

Urbosa’s eyes fly wide open. The pain in her hands is beyond anything she can recall going through. Someone is holding down her arms, so she instinctively tries to reclaim them.

“Urbosa! O’sea, please calm down, it’s us!” Mipha’s gentle voice calls to her. Urbosa looks wildly around to see Link above her with Mipha directly beside him. Slowly, Urbosa calms, letting Link keep her arms pinned. For now.

Link looks over to Mipha, “Said about that pain ointment.”

Mipha rolls her eyes. It’s really dark, what time is it?

“Leave it to you to take a break from mutism just to say ‘I told you so’,” Mipha blabs. The Zora’s hands are around Urbosa’s right hand, working the bandages off.

“Besides,” Mipha keeps talking, “She shouldn’t have any more of that stuff. Not at least for another couple of days… It’s highly addictive.”

Urbosa blows an airy laugh then, “No more pain medication? That’ll make for a fun couple of days then huh.”

Mipha shakes her head, “No I will still give you some. Just a different kind. Not as potent… Something that won’t knock you flat,” Mipha then smiles at Urbosa. Urbosa chuckles through the pain. It isn’t instantaneous like the other ointment, but after the right hand is wrapped again, Urbosa can feel the sharp pain dull to a light throb.

“Will you keep still now?” Mipha asks Urbosa as she walks to the other side of the bed. Urbosa laughs again and agrees. Mipha then nods to Link in kind. So he lets off her arms to take a seat on the bed, watching intently.

“How long have I been asleep?” Urbosa asks, her mouth feeling like it’s filled with cotton. She’s taking on a slight lisp.

Mipha’s pawing at her left hand now, unwrapping it slowly. She answers, “Since you all returned from the Divine Beast. That would be since noon, yesterday. It is now early morning,” She looks down at Urbosa pointedly, “Very early.”

The person in the bed to their right rolls over with a flap of his wings. Revali looks over at Urbosa, his head propped up on his wing, “Someone woke us all up with their groaning and flailing.”

Urbosa groans, feeling her face get warm, “Sorry about that. Had a bad dream.”

A sharp pain goes through Urbosa’s hand. “May I ask what it was about?” Mipha asks, having just gotten the layers of bandaging off of Urbosa’s hand. She works quickly to get a pain reliever worked onto the broken skin as fast as possible.

The tension brought from the pain eases its way out of Urbosa’s body in increments.

“It was… a weird one,” Urbosa grits, grinding her teeth some.

“Had to be,” Revali chirps, “To be dreaming about Link. You said his name. A lot.”

“Jealous, Revali?” Urbosa snips back, giving him a wink, “These things don’t have to be fantasies if you want them bad enough.” Revali actually gets flustered by this and a sharp pain goes through Urbosa’s hand. Urbosa gives Mipha a pained look and Mipha tries to look apologetic, but her smile gives her away.

A few more ointments in and Mipha asks Urbosa, “So it was a bad dream then? Did something happen to Link?”

Urbosa judges that mentally. Technically, yes, but not how Mipha probably means.

“That was at the end. Ganon did… something. Took possession of Link, I think,” Urbosa looks at Link then, contemplative. She motions loosely with her right hand, stiff with bandages, “His skin turned grey… His hair was white. And his eyes turned… this kind of glowy red. Super bizarre.” Link raises his eyebrows at her in amusement.

“Sounds kinda cool honestly,” Link admits, earning a squawk from Revali. Link looks over at the Rito with a shit-eating grin on his face, which quickly gets whipped off when someone from a different bed yells at them to be quiet. Other people in the stable groan their agreement.

Everyone quiets down after that, though Link stays by Urbosa’s bed until Mipha is done bandaging her hand. When she’s done, Mipha helps Urbosa sit up. It’s decided that they’ll go cook outside. Link follows while Revali attempts to go back to sleep.

Outside, Daruk is sleeping soundly under several blankets, each overlapping the other poorly in an attempt to cover him up. Mipha goes to him first to fix some of the blankets. Meanwhile, Urbosa takes a seat with Link around the cooking pot. He pulls out some mushrooms. Urbosa’s pretty tired of shrooms honestly, but what can you do.

As the mushrooms cook, Mipha comes over to take a seat next to Link. Compared to her nightmare, it feels uncanny for Urbosa to see them sitting so relaxed now. Mipha especially. She seems… lighter somehow. Like a weight had long ago been taken off of her shoulders.

There’s a comfortable silence as they wait. The sun is barely coming to the edge of the world with only the slimmest rays of light peak out. The fire under the cooking pot crackles.  

Link dishes out the steamed mushrooms with Mipha’s help. Mipha gives Urbosa a sympathetic look when she takes into account Urbosa’s burnt hands. Urbosa tries to refuse the help, but Mipha won’t hear it. Her and Link swap seats so that Mipha can help Urbosa eat. At least until her hands get a little better.

“How did it even happen?” Mipha asks as she stabs a shroom. Link gives Urbosa a knowing look that she doesn’t understand fully. It isn’t even daylight out yet and Urbosa’s head hurts from the whiplash of everything.

Brow furrowed, Urbosa doesn’t answer until she’s ate a little bit more first. She had been giving the Blight a finishing blow when the pain struck. “We were all striking the Fireblight when it happened. Link had knocked it out of the air, and then me and Daruk rushed it. I was… swinging my sword…”

Mipha offers her another mushroom, which Urbosa takes gratefully. Then she says, “I felt… static. I ignored it at the time. Thought it was probably coming from the Blight. But… It wasn’t, was it.” Link nods in confirmation. Urbosa tweaks her head in confusion, “It was from me. I made the static. The lightening that struck it at the end… that was from me.”

Mipha’s brow rises. “Do you really think…?”

Link is nodding his head repeatedly, his mouth full.

“Wow…” Mipha’s brow is still held, eyes darting from Link to Urbosa “So your magic is… lightening? That’s… pretty amazing, O’sea!” Everyone takes a moment to think on it. Yeah, it is pretty cool. Of course Urbosa would have such a cool ability.

Then Mipha’s face scrunches, the longer she thinks about it. “Wait… So your magic… your ability… fried your hands…”

Frowning, Urbosa concedes, “Yeah… guess so. I was fine before that. Wish it hadn’t of, but… that’s just how it is.” Mipha offers her another sympathetic look, something Urbosa is getting tired of fast, and then offers another shroom. Urbosa takes it grumpily.

Revali walks up behind them not too much later, rubbing his eyes. “I hope you’re happy. I can’t go back to sleep now because of you.”

Cheeky, Urbosa grins, “Good. You get too comfortable too often, Revali. It isn’t good for your alertness.”

“I would have better alertness if others would let me sleep,” Revali counters as he snatches Link’s fork. Link puffs his cheeks in a fit as Revali plucks the mushroom off the fork before handing the fork back. He pops the mushroom in his beak before any further complaint can be made.

Revali then takes a seat on the ground and rummages through his storage. “I heard talk of lightening. Are we talking about Urbosa’s new power?”

“Right,” Mipha nods.

“It was something,” Revali admits, still rummaging, “Everyone was giving the Blight a good once over, and _I’m_ holding back so not to hit anyone with an ice arrow… Then Urbosa’s creating this little… _electrical_ energy around her. When she slammed her sword down, I watched as the lightening created a zagging path downwards. It was rather impressive, if I do say.” Finally, the Rito decides on his ingredients and throws them into the pot.

“The question now,” Urbosa speaks up, “is what do we do? I know you have been waiting for us to go to Rito Village for forever now…”

Revali shrugs, stirring the pot, “Yes and that’s true, but your new ability brings a graver question. Is your Blight electrical as well? What about your Divine Beast? We have heard so little from the Gerudo this far. They could be in grave danger as we speak.”

A quiet hangs in the air as those awake consider the posibilities.

Mipha then sighs in frustration, “I wish we could communicate across distance better. Protecting people from the Divine Beasts is important, but I’m losing precious time with my own Beast. And I’m sure I’ll need the Sheikah Slate once I find my own shrines, as we all will.” She ends her little speech by stabbing her last mushroom.

“Do you think the researchers could provide us with some kind of device? Either to communicate or to activate the shrines on our own?” Revali asks.

Urbosa fiddles with the optimistic idea versus the reality of what they do have. “We can ask, but asking does not mean we’ll receive.”

The group grows quiet as they think over what they could do from here. The sun comes up a bit higher, creating a full blown sunrise. As the moments tick by, other early birds wake up around the stable.

The party has to move as more people come wanting to use the cooking pot. Urbosa goes to lean back against Daruk’s sleeping form. Everyone else gathers around them.

“There were Gerudo in Goron City,” Revali comments off-handedly to Urbosa. Urbosa grunts back in acknowledgement. “We could do well to talk to one of them before making any decisions.”

“What decisions are we making now?” Daruk asks gravely, waking up around them slowly.

“What we’re doing next,” Urbosa answers, moving away from Daruk so that he can sit up. The Goron takes the opportunity to and wobbles as he does.

“I was thinking about that last night,” Daruk says, voice still thick, “As stressful as I’m sure things are in Rito, I’m almost positive things are worse in Gerudo. I think we should go there first.”

“You want to come with?” Urbosa asks, surprised, “I thought you’d be more concerned with your Beast now that it’s calmed down.”

Daruk frowns, “Yeah, I suppose I should try to find what I can about the shrines. Or just look everywhere for them…”

“We really could use a better way to communicate…” Mipha laments again. After a brief pause, she slowly starts to make a suggestion, “What if… me and Urbosa were to talk with the Director? At least to ask about making a device like that. Meanwhile, Link and Revali could look for a good shrine to teleport Urbosa too. She can’t fight with her injuries as they are-“ Urbosa goes to say something, but shuts her mouth again. Mipha’s right. “-Daruk I think you should stay in Goron City. At least until you have some information on your Divine Beast.”

“That isn’t too bad of a plan,” Daruk agrees.

“When should we come back to get you then?” Revali asks Mipha.

She considers this briefly before answering, “Stay with us today… So you can hear what the Director has to say… But… then depending on that… after you get to Gerudo Town. Get a shrine set up there, then come get us. I’ll probably want to either go to Zora Domain or come along.”

“Come get me too when you’re at Gerudo Town,” Daruk adds. Then his stomach growls. “Ah. The less time eating any old rocks, the better. They spoil me in Goron City with the rock roasts,” he admits. He pulls a large hand up to rub against his empty belly.

Daruk then gets to his feet, smiling down at the others. “I hate that we didn’t get more time to talk. Catch up. But I’m glad we got to sort some things out before you all had to leave.”

Mipha also gets up then, a small smile on her face. “The feeling is mutual, Daruk. I’ll send you word once we know more.”

“Sounds like a plan, sister,” Daruk smiles at her and then he leans down to give Mipha a hug. Her heart full, Urbosa gets up to wrap her arms around the two of them.

“Uck… So sentimental,” Revali complains to Link.

Knowing better, Link rolls his eyes and pulls Revali along to the hug-pile they are all creating. It’s with reluctant wings that Revali concedes to embarrassing himself in front of the stable staff. His heart jumps when Link squeezes his wing reassuringly.

After a moment like this, they separate.

Unfazed and never embarrassed, Daruk stays smiling. “I’ll see you later then. Sisters. Brothers.”

Everyone watches as Daruk takes off back to Goron City, rolling on along.

Urbosa huffs a little through her nose, “Still can’t believe they do that. Look at him go. He’s unstoppable.” Mipha gives her a disapproving face.

Meanwhile, Link pulls up the Sheikah Slate while Revali looks over his shoulder nosily. The Rito has the urge then to push his beak through Link’s hair. Maybe to groom or to ruffle it up. Revali can’t tell, but he keeps himself from doing it all the same. There has to be a line somewhere.

Once Link has the location for the Director’s Research Lab up, he holds the Slate up to Urbosa and Mipha. In silent agreement, the pair of them close in around Revali and Link. They then teleport to Hateno Research Lab.

Collectively they get their bearings before Link rushes ahead to push the doors in front of them open. Inside, they see a Sheikah man flicking through a book in the back corner. What Mipha and Revali assume to be his daughter, well she’s sitting at the table doodling or whatnot. The young girl doesn’t look up at them, but the man in the back gives them a polite wave.

Link and Urbosa make a beeline to the kid’s table, Urbosa going so far as to take a seat across from her. Mipha and Revali tentatively follow them. Mipha takes several glances at the father. Curiously, he doesn’t seem to mind their sudden interest in his child.

“Snap snap, you’re back!” The little kid giggles, snapping her fingers at Urbosa and Link.

“Always a pleasure at your lab,” Urbosa says softly, grinning like a Cheshire cat. She looks back at Revali and Mipha before looking back to the child. “We’ve got something to ask you. You’ve already helped us out so much, but maybe you could do another little favor?”

The kid’s eyes narrow and Revali and Mipha look on in confusion.

“Ah, shouldn’t we find the Director, Urbosa?” Mipha asks gently. Link huffs a laugh and Urbosa shakes her head with a smile.

The kid gives Urbosa and Link a hard look, saying, “You didn’t tell them?” They shake their heads. The little kid giggles. “Oooh, maybe you should go talk to the Director then. He’s back there,” the kid motions over at the man in the corner, “Linky, Bobo, you’ll play with me first though right? I’d really like that!” So Link and Urbosa agree to hang around the table for a bit longer while Revali and Mipha go make their introductions to the father.

Link slides in next to Purah as the three of them watch Mipha start a conversation with Symin.

“This never gets old,” Purah grins gleefully, her notes on her anti-aging rune spread out on the table in front of her. She gives a little glance to the corner, where Mipha and Revali are being given the ‘Oh, no, I’m not the Director’ talk. Link looks over there as well, and gives a little happy wave to Revali when the Rito glares back at him.

“Sooooo, this is fun. But what do you want? I already said I’d upgrade your Slate. You can pay a feeee to use my Guidance Stone. What gives?” Link’s face lights up then and he pulls out some ancient guardian parts. “Ooh, for your bomb upgrades! Can I get a snappity snap?”

Link gives her a double snap with a wink. It pleases Her Directoralness.

Urbosa leans forward as Purah pulls out her tools for Sheikah Slate maintenance. “We were actually looking for help on a different matter. As we wake up our Divine Beasts, we are having to leave the other Champions at their homes for undetermined amounts of time. We need a way to communicate over greater distances without having to teleport back and forth all of the time. Maybe even something like… or own personal Sheikah Slate? So that we don’t have to bother Link every time we need to get into our own shrines.”

Purah’s eyebrows crinkle together as she speaks up, “What’s so bad about the one Sheikah Slate? Linky can teleport, willy nilly, all over Hyrule! It’s great! Don’t you think you’re a little spoiled to be asking for more?”

“Says the woman who de-aged herself,” Urbosa deadpans.

“Tch!” Purah clicks, “That’s no way to talk to someone you’re asking a favor from!”

Link puts his hand on the table close to where Purah’s are working on his Slate. Purah looks up and Link taps his forehead then taps his chest.

Purah’s face softens. “Linky… I don’t have that many resources. Building four Sheikah Slates is a lot to ask! I’d need a lot of parts. And a loooooot of funding,” Link makes himself look visibly downtrodden, “Hey, don’t make that face! I can’t…”

Purah looks to Urbosa, who is also puppy-dog eying her. Purah sighs dramatically and taps her tool on the table in thought. “You kids… So entitled…”

“So you’re the Director, huh? Don’t look the type,” Revali says as he swings into the seat next to Link. Mipha quietly slides in next to Urbosa, looking rightly embarrassed.

“I get that a lot!” Purah sings and kicks her legs under the table, “It’s all part of my charm~”

“And how do you feel about our request, then?” Revali asks, leaning around Link to see her.

Purah’s cheeks puff and she concentrates on the Sheikah Slate again. “Spoiled to the core!” She continues to tinker with the Slate, sticking her tongue out when a couple of sparks fly. Eventually she puts the back back on and turns the Slate off. Then she presses another button and it flickers back to life.

Seemingly pleased with her work, Purah puts the Sheikah Slate down on the table with the screen of the runes still up. The bombs: successfully upgraded. “…look. I can do a lot of things. I’m an amazing Director! The best! So I have an idea. I’ll put a new ruin in this Sheikah Slate…” Purah taps the Slate thoughtfully before continuing, “Yeah, new rune. Easy to build. It’ll be a message sender… Message…er. Messaginator. Anyway. I’ll do that.

“And I can make other, individual runes. For you guys,” She motions to the Champions. Getting excited, Purah pulls out a piece of paper and flips it over. She grabs a big charcoal pencil and starts making some plans out. “Yeah, I can make… Four activators… To open those silly shrines. And the Divine Beasts. Snap!” Purah makes an exaggerated wink and pencil flourish at Urbosa.

“Snap snap,” Urbosa snaps back at her, motioning with her stump hands.

Purah pauses at the sight of the bandages, but keeps charging on with her previous thought process, “Yeah! So, everybody gets their own messagi..nator… I’ll think of a better name later,” She actually writes that part down at the top of the paper, “It’ll be linked with the main Sheikah Slate. Heh, _Linked_. But yeah, like a parent-child system. You’ll be able to charge them by using the podiums and Guidance Stones… Very efficient.

“Aaaaaannnnnnnd all I reeeaaally need for them is… let’s see. Four (4) Giant Ancient Cores. Eight (8) Ancient Springs. Twenty (20) Ancient Gears. Ooooh, I’ll need eighty (80) Ancient Screws! Snap! That doesn’t even include these cute little-“ Purah starts drawing some abstract shapes under the listed items, “-containers! For all the parts to go into. Ooh, we could make them into necklaces. Or maybe something like a pocket watch!”

“Wait, wait, did you say eighty Ancient Screws?” Revali tries to butt in, but Purah keeps going.

“That’s only for everyone’s personal thing. For the Sheikah Slate itself, you’ll need to get me a (1) shaft and two (2) gears.”

Purah then doodles some with her pictures of the ‘containers’ for the Messagers.

Link taps his hand and drags it away from himself in the air, asking, “That’s all?”

Purah tuts, “Noooo, I just don’t know how long I’ll have to work on them. I give an hourly rate of twelve-fifty rupees on average. So if it’ll take more than four hours, it’ll be over 5,000 rupees. Not a bad deal really when you think about it!”

Urbosa groans, “For a kid, you are really driving up these prices.”

Purah snaps at her with a smile, “They say that I’m a smart cookie! You’ve gotta look out for that!”

Mipha, considering the items needed and asks, “Is it really eighty Ancient Screws for one Messag…inator. Or is that for all of them?”

“Oh!” Purah exclaims, “No, my days, no! It’s twenty screws for one Messaginator… Actuallly, I’m starting to like that name… Mmm, but it doesn’t match the Sheikah Slate’s name… Maybe… Sheikah Messaginator? Sheikah Messager… Talker? Tele… talker. Hmm…”

“Okay,” Mipha says as Purah drifts in her thoughts, “So we only need one Giant Ancient Core, two Ancient Springs, five Ancient Gears, and twenty Ancient Screws. To get started on one of these new little machines for us.”

Purah nods, “Aaaand a cute little pocket watch to put it in. Ooh, I want to gut one. Put this stuff inside. That could be _super_ cute!”

In the corner, the sound of Symin putting away his book can be heard before he starts his way over to the table. “What’s the frenzy over here about?”

“I’ll catch you up later, Symin,” Purah tells him, not even bothering to look up, “Are you making lunch soon?”

Symin smile is strained, but he puts on a happy tone, “Yes, very soon. How does grilled toast with mushroom cream sound?”

“We _always_ have shroomy cream,” Purah complains.

“It’s what we have,” Symin says, maybe a little forcefully. He blinks then, remembering the company, who are just eating whatever this is right up. Symin coughs and relents, “Maybe some baked apples later.” He then turns tail and runs off to wherever it is that their pantry could be.

Urbosa is the first to get up. “Thank you so much for your time Director Purah. We’ll come back when we have the parts.”

“And the rupees!” Purah states, still not looking up from her notes.

Urbosa jerks her head to the door, and the other Champions skitter out of the seats with rushed goodbyes. Link just barely remembers to grab the Sheikah Slate before leaving. Urbosa heaves a sigh when all of them are outside. “She’s a load of fun.”

“So it seems,” Revali agrees drily.

Link is pulling up the map again, and holding it up for Mipha to see the shrine at the Zora’s Domain.

“Yes, I’d say that is our next stop. I can see if I can get some of the resources we need from my father…”

With that said, everyone gathers around again. They make a quick detour, going to barter their resources for rupees. Rupees for fresh supplies. The works. Then the party moves on to the communal pot, not ready yet to say their last goodbyes. Urbosa gives the boys the spare cooking pot. They are the only ones to be on the road now, really. Revali and Link will need all the help they can get.

The innkeeper even pulls out a box of jellies, saved up for when Mipha would return. Mipha lets the boys take a box. There’s always so many being made here anyway.

When they’re finally ready, Link simply aims a questioning finger over the Slate’s map, and Revali says to go as far South-West as possible. They give their goodbyes to the girls, and then they’re off.

Next stop: Keh Namut Shrine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Plans be made! Everyone is spreading out and everything is stressful!   
> My gosh though this chapter involved so much thought. I had no idea what was going on for half of this so when it finally came to a close I just... The Relief is real. 
> 
> Anyway, hope you enjoyed the latest chapter! Next chapter comes out next Tuesday.   
> See you guys then <3


	22. Wasteland

Shivering, Link shifts the cooking pot on his back. Mt. Hylia isn’t kind to them on this chilly afternoon, but Link doesn’t bother to pull out his doublet. Instead he grabs his paraglider. Revali creates an updraft and they’re off: westward. Once in the air, all before them is golden, from the plateauing mountains to the light of the Tower at their peaks.

Just another beautiful landscape in a world they just happen to live in.

Unlike Revali, though, Link can’t stay flying in the air for long. He starts descending with increasing speed. Conveniently, there is a shrine niched in along the canyon floor down below them. Link angles himself toward it, assuming that Revali would follow him. And he does.

“Will we be stopping at _every_ shrine we run across then? Because to my understanding, stopping every time we encounter a one will greatly increase the time it takes us to get to Gerudo Town,” Revali complains as Link hops up to the shrine platform. Link turns to give the Rito an unimpressed look before pulling the Sheikah Slate out.

Revali rolls his eyes, “Suit yourself.”

None the less, Revali follows Link inside.

Jee Noh Shrine proves to be fairly straight forward. There are balls on conveyor belts that need to be knocked back into their bowls on the other side. A couple of small scouts are also there to make it not too incredibly easy, but between Revali and Link it’s a bit of a weak challenge. They take the shrine easily, and leave posthaste.

“Shall we fly again? Or are your weak Hylian arms too tired now?”

Link smacks Revali with his paraglider before unfolding it. To his surprise, Revali just chuckles at that. No biting comment to be found.

They take off again, just skirting the lips of the canyon. As they float by, Link scans the landscape for their next landing place. There’s wooden structures everywhere inside the canyon. Down below is a fire with a person by it that Link purposely avoids landing next too. Can never be too careful.

Gently, Revali and Link land along the path further ahead. Revali doesn’t even ask Link this time. He takes off and Link’s paraglider catches the drift up shortly after. Seeing the Tower’s top catches Link’s attention, so he angles himself towards the canyon wall. Revali flies up as Link crawls the rest of the way.

Monsters litter the area, unsurprisingly, thus taking up the rest of their afternoon into their evening. The sun is setting by the time they grapple their way up to the bog-surrounded Tower. Large metal boxes are thrown everywhere, and Link has half a mind to see if there’s anything they can do with them. But the other half of his mind says just to abuse Revali’s air draft skills.

Thus they just fly over the bog. Link lands on a platform and keeps climbing from there. Revali smirks at him when he crawls over the last ledge to the top.

While Link messes with the Tower controls, Revali struts over to look over the desert. In the distance, he can just see the square that must hold the Gerudo inhabitants.

_Gerudo City relied heavily on electricity, so advanced were they in their technology. Lights shone from ever window of the many buildings. Never had Revali seen something so awe inspiring as the stories of clay that packed up high to make the marvelous exterior. Gerudo design and functionality at its core, with a fortifying structure. Hard to ambush, let alone to ever demolish._

Link touches Revali’s wing as he comes to stand beside him. There’s something about the face that he’s making… He looks sort of sad. Slowly, Revali blinks and tilts his head.

When he notices Link, Revali gives a small smile and shakes his head. “Nothing to worry about. Should we keep going? We can see the Town from here.”

Link is about to agree when he sees something. There’s a sand storm off to their left in the desert. Not much of a surprise: it is a desert. But inside the sandstorm…

He pulls at Revali’s wing and points off towards the storm. Inside the storm, only sometimes peeking out its long neck, is what looks to be a Divine Beast.

“Oh…” Revali lets out, eyes on the Beast, “That would be it. Suppose we’re getting lucky with sand magic?” Link shakes his head sadly, the Beast continuously stomping in its own storm. It doesn’t seem to know where it’s going.

Gerudo Town looks especially small and vulnerable in comparison.

Revali tilts his head, “Maybe we should head to Bazaar first. It’s getting late and it’ll take another hop before we get to Town. Give your little arms a rest for the night.”

Link frowns at him. “I can make it to Gerudo Town.”

“What happened to keeping to the quiet knight shtick?” Revali asks, sounding annoyed, “Let’s take the break. We can ask about the Beast while we’re there. It’s too late to be bringing Urbosa along anyway.”

Getting the paraglider out, Link just rolls his eyes and motions for Revali to go on ahead then. If he so wishes to go to the oasis so much. He does and they both float on down. Link sort of wanted to check out this place anyway. But nothing with Revali comes easily or pain free.

Revali lands with a gentle flap of his wings by the water. A little bit behind him, Link stumbles on his landing, but straightens fast enough. Looking around, his paraglider hangs from his admittedly tired hands. The oasis looks familiar. Not in the eerie way that some older structures are, but in the way that he has seen this before… Recently.

Confused, Link drops his paraglider on the sand to pull out his Slate. While he fiddles with the menus, Revali takes in the scenery before doubling back to where Link had landed.

“What is it now? You haven’t taken your eyes off that thing since we started this trip,” Revali gripes as he looks over Link’s shoulder.

Link flips to the photo album where Zelda’s pictures are. He taps on the picture of the oasis. They’re not quite at the right place, so Link shuffles back a little bit more. Goes a little to the right, to the exasperation of his traveling companion.

“It’s obviously the same place, you don’t need to match it so exactly.”

Link ignores Revali in favor of holding the picture up next to their current view of the oasis. This is the place.

_She ran off again. It’s all Link could do not curse out his job as he ran around the sand dunes. Link has had tougher assignments than this, but he never had a bigger headache than his time now as the Princess’s royal guard._

_He saw the Princess up ahead of him. She took the path that swerves past the Kara Kara Bazaar and up towards the road out of the Wastelands. The sands were still though. Too still._

_Two Yiga Clan members popped out from behind the cacti around Zelda. She shrieked and started a mad dash towards the Bazaar. Link pulled out his shield to try to catch up to them. As he surfed, a couple more Yiga popped out on his flanks. He slashed one with the Master Sword, but the other one made off after the Princess._

_Link winced when the Princess then tripped crossing the Bazaar. It was an oddly empty place. Not a person to be found besides them._

_Jumping from his shield, Link rushed the Yiga while their arm is arched over Zelda. He disarmed the traitor, then killed them, before continuing to attack the remaining two. All the while he made sure the fight stayed far away from her Highness._

_Maybe now Zelda would let him stay closer to her side._

“Well? Was it everything you expected and more?”

Link glares at Revali as he shuts the Slate up. Why does he have to be like this?

Instead of trying to reason with the birdbrain, Link looks around the Bazaar.

There are a lot of Gerudo here, more than they have gotten to seen so far. All women peculiarly. Some are selling wares, others just walking around. Probably guards or travelers in their own right. There are also Rito and Goron though as well. A Rito looks to be enjoying the early evening sun by the waters. The Gorons are heading over to the sellers’ setups, probably to trade with them.

“Split up?” Link signs to Revali. He sections off the right half for himself and the left for Revali.

“Not going to tell me what the memory was? Perhaps another love confession, but this time from the Princess herself?” Revali teases, leaning towards Link. Link huffs as he shoves Revali over to his area. They have to get serious about this. Zelda is still counting on them, no matter how long they took to actually get to her.

Still, Link overhears Revali continue to huff about how Link would be the one to get all the princesses to fall in love with him. Jealous bird. It isn’t Link’s fault if that were true. He wouldn’t want it to be in any case, so why bother thinking about it?

Asking around the Kara Kara Bazaar gets mixed results. Some people openly lament over the situation with the Divine Beast. Its rampage scares all. Others are simply going about their business. There’s some gossip: thieves have taken the Chief’s Thunder Helm. Urbosa will not be happy about that. Probably.

Then there is another matter altogether to consider. Gerudo Town has a law banning all males from entering the premise. It… really shouldn’t be a huge issue. They can just get Urbosa to go talk to whoever she needs to talk to. They can come back out again. Sure, Link would like to see the inside, but it isn’t a big deal.

Or it wouldn’t be a big deal if Revali wasn’t whining about it nonstop while they’re waiting for their dinner to cook.

“When I used to come here, they let me run the streets! When did these new laws come about? Who thought that isolating men from the area would help _anyone?_ It would be so much easier if they would just-“

Link slowly put his hand on Revali’s beak. It’s been a long day. A super long day. Could they just… Not do this right now? Link shakes his head very slowly.

Disgruntled and very loudly, Revali keeps going, “No! _You_ don’t understand since you don’t remember, but this is new! And so unfair: Urbosa will agree with me. If she would agree with me, that means you should too.” Revali grumbles and pokes the fruit cooking away in the boiling water.

It’s hard to say what Urbosa would say. If she would care or if she wouldn’t… Actually, she’d think Revali being denied anything would be hilarious. To be fair, Link would have to agree. If he wasn’t tired right now, this would probably be a hoot. Heh. A hoot.

Revali gives Link a weird look and Link realizes he had just been smiling at Revali while deep in his thoughts. To compensate, Link flattens his facial expression while looking the other way. Revali huffs and his feathers around his neck smooth out.

A small silence falls between them as the mixed fruit cooks. Every minute that passes now it’s getting just slightly colder.

“Do you remember what you were like yet? Before the Calamity?” Revali asks, still watching the fruit.

Link frowns at him, not liking where this is going.

Instead, Link asks back, “Why ask?” He starts scooping the fruit out of the pot into their bowls: made with care all those months ago.

Revali hums before answering, “I… Well I’m just trying to make small talk I guess. You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to…”

Link hands Revali his bowl, his eyes showing that he is still listening.

“It’s just the feelings I’ve been getting,” Revali shrugs as he accepts the bowl, “In my memories… or even just weird feelings I’ll get. Like a splinter of an old opinion I used to have. It feels like I had a lot to prove. It made me sort of reckless, I think.

There’s just something about it… If I were someone else that meet me before all of _this_ happened… I don’t think I would have liked myself a whole lot honestly. Because of my attitude back then.”

He looks up from his bowl, not having ate any yet, to see Link stuffing his face. Yet somehow the Hylian is also frowning at him. Inside, Revali feels a conflict of not wanting to disappoint Link while also just wondering why he was bothering to tell him this at all. That old weird feeling about Link, one he’s had since they met after the resurrection… Like Link is the kind of person who is just above it all. Undeservedly.

Link looks like an absolute buffoon with his spoon still in his mouth. Revali makes sure to point this out before he starts eating.

Always a quick eater, Link snaps out of it and finishes first, setting his bowl aside. It isn’t like Revali to get into feelings like this… It must be something he’s been stewing over for awhile now. Though maybe he should work on his personality now, instead of worrying about what he used to be like.

Not that Link can’t understand wanting to know about their past selves. Thinking about the original question at hand, Link doubles back on what he was like in some of his memories. There wasn’t much of him there, in all honesty. Just a person reacting to the way the other people around him acted.

The memory of Lanayru Road crops up as being the worst offender of this.

He guesses he could talk about that. Was that really how he was all the time, though? Or just how he was in that moment? He was definitely more in the moment during his time as a squire. When he drank with Revali… But he was still quiet. Obviously.

Everyone seemed to have some idea of what their lives were like now. Revali’s been to Rito Village. Mipha’s taken her position back at the Zora’s Domain. Daruk’s back in Death Mountain with his little brother. Urbosa will be back among her people here shortly…

They are all getting such easy glimpses into what they’re life was like before Ganon. What was Link’s life like before this? There’s a crushing feeling somewhere in that thought. He just can’t put his finger on why.

“Hey,” Revali waves his wing in front of Link’s face, “Still with me? Haven’t blacked out from hypothermia have you?” Link blinks at him, his face scrunching up with confusion. “Don’t give me that look, you’re shaking to your bones.” Slowly, Link looks down at himself and sure enough, Revali hasn’t made himself to be a liar yet.

“Stay here, I’ll clean this all up,” Revali says lowly. He quickly picks up the pot and bowls, somehow nudges Link closer to the fire, and heads over to the water at the center of the Bazaar.

Feeling the chill air at his back, Link huddles even closer to the fire. At some point the sun had set on them. Link frowns. He spent most of his money on supplies, so hopefully the inn prices here aren’t too steep. He has monster parts to sell, but the women that run these shops are closing up.

Revali drops off the pot and bowls at the fire. Then, looking the other way, he holds out his wing. Link looks at him, confused for a beat, before Revali tuts, “Are you coming or not? I don’t have to keep you warm on the way to the inn if you don’t want me to.”

Eyes wide, Link hops up quick to get under those downy feathers.

So, fingers and cheeks red, Link walks under Revali’s wing as they enter the Bazaar Inn. When they approach the counter the lady gives them a bored look.

“50 for a normal bed. 100 for a soft one.”

Both Revali’s and Link’s eyebrows rise tremendously at the prices. She can’t be serious? 

Link tugs on Revali’s feathers and the Rito leans down so that Link can whisper to him, “I don’t have enough for a normal one.”

Revali nods and pulls out his rupee pouch. “Well, here then. Let’s see… 1… 2… 3… 4… reds,” he lists off as he puts every new rupee on the counter, “And four blues should cover it for us.”

The lady nods and scoops up the rupees. Then she motions for them to join her in the space where the beds are kept.

They round the corner and see that a lot of the bed curtains are already closed up for the night. Along the wall adjoined with the front room is an open double bed with pillows covering it all over. The lady flips a corner of the bed’s blanket up and open.

Not staying much longer, she just whispers as she goes back out, “Try not to be too loud. This is a place for sleeping first and foremost.”

Revali’s jaw drops as she lets the separator for the back room fly closed again. Meanwhile, Link is looking around curiously before he frowns Revali’s way.

“Wah- How wa-“ Revali starts, but Link puts a finger over his mouth. He continues then, but much quieter, “How was I supposed to know she would think we would want a double? Anyone with sense would have assumed we wanted two normal singles.”

It didn’t really bother Link, but he honestly isn’t sure why she would assume they would want a single. Was it common for traveling companions to pull together for a softer bed? He shrugs and slips out of his shoes. Must be, for this to happen.

Revali, on the other hand, knows exactly how this happened and is smacking himself internally. He had his wing around Link the entire time, never letting it drop. Besides that, he never specified anything different. They were probably exerting more PDA than the average couple. Really it isn’t that surprising that the desk lady would think that…

Heat rises to Revali’s cheeks. He should probably apologize to Link. Should he go ask for a different bed? They look full, but maybe they’d understand. Really though, should he apologize to Link? He was just as passive as Revali in all this mess. He should just-

Link’s already pulling the curtain closed, giving Revali an expectant look. Revali’s face gets redder and Link looks him up and down before he motions his head for Revali to hop in.

Heart throbbing, Revali lets Link back away before taking a seat on the bunk. Behind the curtain, Link is squatting at the foot of the bed. Pillows puff up all around him. He’s not wearing anything but the underwear he was resurrected in.

“Can you take the inside?” He whispers lightly, making Revali feel weird in ways that a question like that shouldn’t ought to, “I’ll die from your body heat otherwise.” Super sexy. The definition of a hottie. Chirp chirp.

“Yeah,” Revali tries not to trill back, “Yeah… Just… Give me a second here.” Link sits patiently as Revali works his Champions’ Scarf off. It falls into the bed, forgotten momentarily, as he then works at his buckles that hold his quiver in place.

Light fingers accidentally run over his shoulder, making Revali jump.

Link chuckles, “Just helping. You take forever.” Revali asked for help before with this kind of thing. It’s probably okay to help him now when he’s taking so long. They have to be disturbing some of the other guests as they’re settling in.

Revali doesn’t answer, letting Link loosen the straps without complaint. If only Revali was like this all the time. He always seem more complacent at night. Maybe it’s because he’s tired too.

When Revali finally shucks his top off, he shoves the bundles of fabric into the shelves that are indented along the thick, clay walls. He picks up his talons, gives them a brushing off, and shifts back farther into the bed. While he does, Link leans forward to close the curtain the whole way.

It gets dark, saved only by a night light with an on and off switch on the underside of it.

They get comfortable on their respective sides. There’s barely enough room and Revali’s wing is crushed against the wall to give Link room. He puts that wing back behind his head in an attempt at getting comfortable.

Then a finger hooks along the top of his bottoms, erasing any ease of mind Revali may have found.

“Aren’t these insulated?”

Revali tries not to groan, preventing it just barely.

“It’s fine, I can leave them on.”

“Won’t you get hot?” His finger is still skirting the edge. Is he doing this on purpose?

“You know, you could give a guy the wrong idea by putting your _hands_ in their _pants_ ,” Revali complains.

This gets Link to pull away in an instant. There’s silence for a moment until he stammers, “I… um. Sorry. I… I didn’t mean to… I’m not _hitting_ on you. I swear. I know you’re straight.” It’s the most Link’s said all day.

Revali tilts his head, “When did I tell you that?”

Link makes a soft sound in the back of his throat, then says, “You didn’t. Most people are.”

Revali wants to laugh, but he keeps it in, “I wouldn’t know about that. The way Urbosa talks about the old queen, I doubt she’s straight. And I know I’m not. Whatever Daruk is, I doubt that qualifies…” Revali trails, then huffs, “Yeah, so Mipha is probably the straightest of the Champions at least. And, hey, if she isn’t then that isn’t a big deal either.”

Link’s face goes red. He can’t believe- Link rolls on his side with a death glare, “I was an idiot at Mipha’s Divine Beast.”

“What-“

“I made a big deal about being gay to a bunch of other, somehow also gay, gay people.”

Revali sighs, “To be fair, you had just died.” Link rolls over on his stomach to groan into his pillow.

Then he lifts his head, his voice quiet but filled with drama, “You… aren’t straight.”

Leaning up on his elbow, Revali looks down over Link. “You aren’t wrong.”

With wide eyes, Link whips his head to meet Revali’s eyes, “I am _so_ sorry. I… I _swear_ -“

“Shush already,” Revali puts his loose wing over Link’s back, trying to rub it reassuringly, “It was weird, but we’re over it now. See? You’re hand isn’t at my waist. My pants are still on. And now you know that you aren’t alone. You’ve got a whole group of people that know how you feel. So calm down. It’s all fine.”

Link settles down, leaving himself face first in the pillow. The comforting warmth of the Rito wing too much to rebel over. It’s so late.

He should probably feel bashful knowing that Revali could possibly find him attractive without his clothes, but… Getting them would take a lot of work. And Revali’s wing is so comfortable. Mm… What is modesty anyway.

Revali watches as Link’s breath steadies out under his wingtips. That… was a lot for them. Revali’s wing stops for a moment. If Link had been assuming Revali was straight, does that mean he’ll notice Revali’s affection easier now?

He had been letting himself be casual with his attention towards Link. The Hylian was always more open with physical contact than Revali anyway. Does this mean that Link will keep to himself more now? Will Revali have to as well?

Revali slumps down on the wing that supported his head, his other wing still rubs Link’s back. He didn’t think something like this would be happening between them. Sleeping in a luxurious bed together, sharing each other’s warmth on a chilly night… It would be picturesque if they actually felt the same way towards each other.

In a dream, maybe.

It’s the next morning when Link wakes up, hot beyond belief. Pushing at the heat source, his hand runs into feathers. It’s early so it takes a little extra effort, but he moves Revali’s wing off of him. The Rito in question does nothing more than mutter and roll over. Huh.

They. Really slept like that. That’s… Revali’s a good friend. Strange as that is to think. A really good friend.

Link looks down fondly at Revali as he gathers his things from the shelves. Last night was awkward, but now he knows. And really, he should be thankful Revali told him something like that. Knowing Revali, they could have been friends for ages without that ever coming up.

Revali is a guy that likes other guys. Neat.

Quietly, Link throws his legs out into the cool room. Maybe he could go to the spring outside to wash off the night sweat… Eh, not worth washing in front of anybody else. He pulls on his clothes, opting to wear less layers. He’ll keep some of the sturdier pieces for joint protection though.

Link shuffles out, giving the inn lady a nod, and heads directly for the cooking pot. The sun, is peeking out, already heating up the desert landscape. It won’t be long until it’s unbearable.

In the meantime, Link uses the early morning to cooking up the hydromelons he bought yesterday. They make for some nice cooling snacks. He’ll be sure to leave some by the bed before he heads out to the Gerudo Town shrine.

If he’s lucky, he might even get to the shrine and back before Revali wakes up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Over 100,000 words later and we're finally treating this story like the typical trope-y romance fanfiction that it is. Welcome to forced bed-sharing simulator 1.0.   
> Also Link is Oblivious, so have mercy on his gay heart. Amen. 
> 
> Next chapter next Tuesday.  
> Til then, stay frosty!


	23. Wasteland

The sand weighs Link’s feet down, making the trek out to Gerudo Town slow-going. He pushes through with ever step getting more and more sand into his Hylian boots. As he passes Gerudo women, heading out for their big adventure, Link wonders how the heels they wear help at all in the sands. They walk with no problem, so there has to be some trick there.

It takes longer than Link thought it would to get to the town. Surprisingly, there’s stray men lying along the walls that block the inside of the town from prying eyes. Only a pair of Gerudo guards keep watch of the city entrance.

Curious, Link walks over to a Hylian man who keeps peering over the guards’ shoulders. Talk about creepy.

“Peeping on them?” Link asks seriously, scaring the stranger.

“Huh! Wha-“ the guy asks before looking back and down to Link, “Oh. No, no, of course not. Just… trying to get some information. I’m the leader of a merchant caravan. Me and my men have traveled far to trade with the people of Gerudo Town. Only to find you can’t enter unless you’re female.

“However! I have learned only recently of a man that slipped into this well guarded town! I hear that this man is frequently traveling between Kara Kara Baazar and Gerudo Town.”

Link’s eyebrows raise. “Good luck finding him.”

“Mm,” the merchant answers, already going back to searching the faces of the people leaving town.

Leaving the stranger to his peeping, Link heads over to the shrine. Link takes a little bit of satisfaction when the shrine lights up, coincidentally catching the attention of the people around. The guards are on edge though, so Link gives them a friendly wave before entering. Hopefully, they won’t over-react.

Inside the shrine is a basic intro to electricity-based puzzles. Cautious after being stung once, Link uses the Magnesis rune to move the metal boxes around.

Further along there is an even more involved puzzle, using electric circulation as a means to test his mind. It’s the shrines like these that Link likes the most. But the electricity theme makes him think about Urbosa’s Beast again.

Makes him think about Urbosa’s hands.

Once he reaches the monk in their little quarantine, Link takes a breath. Nice and long, and then holds it in. The reek of the mummy rolls over him again as he unlocks their capsule. Another spirit orb gets absorbed and he is teleported back outside.

Suppose he should go see if Revali is awake. They can go get Urbosa now whenever. So it’s another grueling track back. He’s sweating and his boots are filled with sand.  

It’s still morning when Link gets back to the Baazar. Looking around, Revali is no where in sight. There’s a real possibility of him still being asleep, so Link heads back into the inn.

“Sav’aaq,” the inn lady greets Link on his way in. Link walks across the room and almost goes in the backroom before stopping his tracks.

The lady at the counter looks over at him curiously.

“Have you seen anyone… suspicious lately?” Link asks carefully. If he says outright there is a man sneaking into town, he could possibly start a panic. Best to keep in low profile. It could all just be a cruel rumor anyway.

“Suspicious? Not that I am aware of…” The woman takes a moment to think before she adds, “Though there has been an odd person walking around. A beautiful vai. She goes to sit on top of this inn in the afternoon…

“Hey, would you and your partner be staying another night? I’d like to know when I can tidy the bed if not.”

Link gives the question some serious thought. They’ll probably be here for another night actually. At least one more since they still have planning to do with the Gerudo officials.

Nodding, Link answers, “We’ll stay another night.”

“That’ll be another hundred then.”

Link pays the fee and then finally ducks away into the backroom. All the bunks are empty by now. The curtains are all open except for theirs.

Leaning against the clay that sticks out to make the bed frame, Link tugs his boots off. Sand spills out in little piles. His feet are going to feel gritty for weeks and Link groans at the thought.

Slowly, feathers peek out from behind the bed curtain and then Revali’s beak. With bleary eyes, Revali peers up at him. “Where have you been?” He slurs out softly.

“Went to the shrine,” Link mumbles back, currently trying to wipe as much sand off his bare feet as possible. Link makes Revali back up then after he’s done and Link slides into the bed after him.

“Shouldn’t we be getting ready to go see Urbosa then?” Revali asks around a yawn.

Link yawns as well before answering, “Yeah. I just want to sit first.”

“Okay,” Revali complies easily, flopping into a mass of feathers, “I can deal with that.”

Link leans back against the clay frame, not letting himself get too comfortable. It’s cooler inside than it is outside. A nice reprieve.

Revali choses then to huff at him, “You smell like dung.” Link leans forward and then over Revali with a frown. Revali gasps, “Ugh! Don’t get closer. You’ll suffocate me with your stench.” Link, of course, dares to get closer and takes a long whiff of the Rito himself.

It makes them both gag.

“Agh! Goddess,” Revali shoves Link away by his shoulder, “ _Why_ did you _have_ to do that? You’re an actual chick, I _swear_.”

Link laughs and shoves Revali right back, making gestures that suspiciously look like he’s accusing Revali of being just as bad. Then he tries to get Revali to smell his armpit.

Squawking, Revali pushes Link straight out onto the floor. Link laughs, and stays there with his legs still propped up in the bed, his back on the floor. He wiggles his bare toes at Revali with a little grin.

Revali rolls his eyes before he shoves Link’s legs away as well.

“Well, I’m awake. Are you happy now?”

“Been sleeping too long anyway,” Link counters before righting himself. Then he notices that Revali must have kicked his pants off over the night, since they seem to be shoved down at the foot of the bed. The inn blanket conveniently covers the Rito’s lap.

His eyes dart away, and Link shuffles through his storage. Guess he needs a bath after all.

 “Did you leave these?” Revali asks, and Link looks up to see Revali holding up the hydromelon bits. Link nods and goes back to looking for his cleaning stuff. Revali stays quiet a moment longer before commenting in a huffy voice, “You’re bribe is dully noted, but you still are required to bathe today.”

Link holds up his kit for washing up and Revali makes a little appeased sound, “Better.”

With Link’s eyes occupied looking for his resurrection pants, Revali redresses and then gets up abruptly. Without a word, he heads out.

Link takes the time to take off his sandy outfit and put on his old loose pants. Then he picks up his dirty outfit and follows after Revali.

Outside the heat is baking again. Directly in front of Link, Revali has already set out his cleaning items and top parts of his outfit by the waters’ edge. Revali himself stands almost completely submerged in the oasis.

As Link walks forward, he notices the older Gerudo who sold him the hydromelons. Her eyes seem to be glued to his torso. They should have held out on bathing until they had gone to Zora’s Domain.

Revali looks up at Link as the Hylian comes to the water. Link signs at him, asking if the water is cool, but lacks the signs for both water and coolness. It’s a pretty vague question, but Revali gets the jest.

“Feels good,” Revali answers and bobs himself under the water completely.

Link backs up a little before he jumps into the water himself. Water splashes everywhere and he lets himself sink down to the floor of the oasis. It isn’t a very deep body of water.

When he opens his eyes, Link watches as Revali rises back up to the surface. Bubbles surround the Rito and his feathers are smoothed down with the pressure of moving up. Sunbeams from above shine through the rippling water. In the moment, he looks… ethereal.

Link pushes up off the floor to come to the surface after Revali. They aren’t too close, but close enough and Link shakes his wet hair around.

“Really?” Revali asks flatly. Link smiles back at him, done shaking his head. Revali is studying Link’s hair, a frown folded over his beak. “Your hair must have at least a few dozen knots in it by now.”

Link shrugs and heads over to his shampoo and soap. It isn’t the best washing, but the pair proceed to get the worst of the offending grim and sweat off. Link gives a few questioning looks to the creepy seller, but she seems to have moved on: minding her own business.

After Revali’s done scratching through his feathers, he hoops up over the ledge beside their grooming gear. Link continues washing off the rest of the soap, not wanting to get back out into the offending hot air.

Revali crosses his legs and runs a brush through his loose hair. He spends some time straightening it, including combing it then and rebraiding. He’s putting in the last hairband when Link pokes his head back out of the water.

“Come here. I’ll brush your hair out,” Revali orders and picks up Link’s brush.

Something about that makes Link blush. As he swims over to Revali, he isn’t sure if it’s just the act of getting his hair brushed by someone else or the new understanding Link has of Revali. It could be from how nice and comforting their night was together. The way Revali looked when he was in the water…

Maybe it’s just the desert heat.

Link gets close to Revali’s crossed legs and turns his back to face away. The water sloshes around as Revali puts his legs back into the water to either side of Link. The heat doesn’t leave Link’s face. Revali starts pulling a brush through his hair, then swaps to a comb for the smaller knots.

Do Rito even do that? Are Rito like the Zora that way? Or are they more like the Gorons, never needing nor wanting…

The relaxing pull of a comb through his wet hair ceases. Link realizes he had shut his eyes, letting his mind roam in the moment. A wing pulls all of his hair back then and Link’s head gets pulled along with it.

“Keep your head still now,” Revali reprimands, looking down into Link’s wide blue eyes, “Do you want to put it up yourself or should I braid it?”

Link’s face looks hot from the heat. Revali almost feels bad for the guy. Link’s mouth moves, slow and quiet, mouthing that he’d like a braid. Please.

“Alright, then. Keep your head still.” Revali lets go of Link’s hair. However, instead of braiding right away, Revali turns his back to reach into Link’s storage. It’s left on the belt of Link’s dirty pair of pants. Not knowing the system, it takes a second for Revali to pull out a cooling dish.

Once he does grab one, though, he hands it over to Link.

“You look like you could use something cooler. Don’t want the heat to get to you now.”

Link blinks at the dish before taking it, and snacking on it once Revali gets his wings back into Link’s hair. The gentle pull Revali’s wings make on Link’s scalp is soothing. It’s probably the most pampered Link’s felt in awhile. But then, how often does he eat chopped fruit in an oasis while someone plays with his hair?

Revali puts a hair tie at the nap of Link’s neck and another at the end of the braid. By then, Link has most of the fruit ate and feels a lot better. Link offers the last of the fruit to Revali and Revali takes it as he backs away from the water. Link hops out after him, water dripping everywhere.

For a strange moment, Link studies the top of the inn, but then he starts going through his things. Revali watches patiently, the fruit dwindling down to nothing in his wings.

Revali frowns though, when Link offers him the Sheikah Slate. “What do I need that for?”

Link sets the Slate by Revali before he pulls all of the available clothes, sans his belt, over to the waters. “You should go pick up Urbosa. I’ll stay and wash these.”

“Really? You know you don’t need to do the work by yourself.”

Link doesn’t say anything back, just takes a shirt and dips it in the water.

“Well… If that’s what you want to do. It’s all the same to me. I’ll be seeing you then in the afternoon,” Revali chatters on. Link watches Revali’s shadow leave towards the inn and doesn’t look up from the washing until he’s sure Revali must have teleported from inside the inn.

If he squints his eyes and lean his head a little, Link thinks he can see someone standing on top of the inn’s roof. It isn’t much to go on, but if he can have a moment to talk to them…

Link gathers up all of the newly clean, but very wet clothes. He gives them a tight squeeze over the water and then brings them in to the inn, still dripping. The innkeeper gives him a disapproving look as he passes by.

No one is back in the back area, so Link takes the quick moment to take off both the wet pants and underwear he has on now. Instead, he pulls on his Sheikah tights and his Zora shirt, if only to not be wearing anything big and bulky.

Or anything with a Sheikah symbol. The memory from yesterday makes him think that the Yiga Clan gives Sheikah a bad name around these parts.

Clean and dressed, Link heads out to talk to the mysterious vai. It takes a moment, but Link soon finds a ladder he can go up like a normal person. Not every obstacle has to be a rock-climbing wall.

At the top, he finds the woman the innkeeper must have been talking about. She’s either a Hylian with very tanned skin or a pretty short Gerudo. The distinction is harder to tell with all the muscles… well with a closer look, she leans more towards a Hylian. Even with the long red hair.

As Link approaches and the woman turns to see who’s there. She giggles when she sees him, a hand coming up to her covered face.

“Oh, I saw you earlier, bathing with your companion. Pretty brazen stuff. You two make for a pair of cuties out there in the water.”

Link blushes. That was such a bad idea in hindsight.

“Name’s Vilia,” she says, smiling with her eyes, “What’s yours?”

“Link…” he answers, wishing he hadn’t pursued after this gossip. This is so embarrassing. What if this person isn’t even the one supposedly sneaking into town?

“ _Link._ That’s a charming name. Tell me, Link, do you need something from me?”

Might as well get to the root of it. If it isn’t her then maybe she could say who it is, so he asks, “There’s a rumor… about a man sneaking into Gerudo Town, unnoticed. Do you know about that?”

“A man getting into Gerudo Town, you say? Oh, I don’t know anything about him… Sorry I couldn’t be of more help.”

If that’s the case… No, wait. Link studies her face, and there’s a twinkle in her eye. She knows something, she’s just being sly. What’s her game?

Vilia giggles, “You’re making my cheeks warm looking at me like that.”

Link squints at her, a small smile forming on his face. Okay, he gets it.

He dips his head before looking back up at her shyly, “Sorry. You’re just so beautiful.”

“Oh, such a nice thing to say!” Vilia says, her eyes smiling, “And I’m sure you’d agree that these clothes only help my looks, right? Now that I think about it, this style would look quite fetching on you… I’d have to charge you, but I bet people would see you completely if you wore them!”

So it is her then.

“What do you think?” Vilia asks, “Do you want to buy them for… 600 rupees?”

He… wasn’t in the market for any women’s clothing. Hadn’t been asking, nor was he carrying any ‘outfit-buying’ rupees. He was dirt poor yesterday and just barely getting close to a grand today. It is supposed to last him for awhile until at least after the next Divine Beast…

Link looks Vilia up and down. The outfit really does look good on her and would make for an excellent way to pass among the Gerudo women. If they didn’t notice _her_ then… Well maybe Link could go see how things are inside the town after all.

With a shy smile, Link decides then, “I’ll take them.”

“It’s a deal then. I’ll take your rupees now,” Link hands her the lump sum, and she giggles, “I have the _perfect_ outfit for you!”

Vilia digs out some blue shimmering fabric from her storage and shoves it at Link. “Go ahead and change into it right now. Don’t worry, I’ll look away…” And she does just that, turning her back to look back over towards Gerudo Town.

For a moment, Link looks around to see if anyone is watching them up here. But it doesn’t seem like anyone can see them. To be fair, Link had only seen Vilia by the very top of her head. Link is probably too short to notice.

Suddenly excited, Link strips quickly before tugging on the new outfit. It really is shiny, with gold accents everywhere. The pants are purple and the shoes are so… comfortable? So light? Link makes sure he has all of the accessories that come with appropriately attached before pulling all of his old clothes into his storage.

“Done?” Vilia asks anxiously. Link hums in the affirmative and Vilia turns around just in time to see Link straighten up.

Vilia’s eyes get super big as she looks Link up and down. With a happy whoop, she starts to squeal, “You look so adorable!” The attention surprises Link, making him bring his hands up to his fabric-covered face.

She giggles some more, and keeps looking at how the fabric fits him. This lady sure knows how to make him feel bashful.

Link lowers his hands and holds them tight in front of himself, swaying a little so to distract himself. His eyes avoid looking at Vilia as she keeps showering him with praise. 

“Just as I thought!” Vilia points out, “You make for a good-lookin gal. That’s a traditional Gerudo outfit. It’s such a striking look around here, I doubt anyone would ever suspect that you’re a man!

“On top of that, it breathes so well that it’s sure to deal with the desert heat… At least a little bit!”

Vilia starts to settle down, and Link takes the chance to look at her again. She’s a bit more composed now, but still looks proud of her work. “I’m so glad I was able to help you,” she admits, “If you’re free to grab something to eat sometime, keep me in mind…”

A little at a loss for words, Link freezes. A little gust of wind kicks up then and Vilia can’t grab her mask in time before Link sees her pale, chiseled jaw line.

A nervous giggle escapes her, and Vilia sighs, “Make sure to look out for the wind. If you want to get more ladies’ clothes, come back any time…”

Her eyes look dull now and her attention falls back to Gerudo Town. Vilia’s been so nice to him, he doesn’t want to leave on that kind of note.

Link approaches her and puts a reassuring hand on her arm. Vilia looks down at him in surprise.

“I’m busy, but I’ll be around. Thanks for the clothes.” Link squeezes her arm and smiles with his eyes. Vilia loosens up a little, her eyes get a little happier again. She nods.

Link starts heading back to the ladder. He has this outfit now. Should he go into town? Maybe a test run around the Baazar would be a good idea.

His run around the Baazar is bizarre. No one even recognizes him, though he supposes that’s for the best. The disguise works like a charm and women are being a lot more open. It’s really uncanny how just a different style of clothing can make people feel more comfortable around you.

However, after the test run, Link heads to his bed to change back into his Zora shirt and tights. The other Champions will show up at the Daqo Chisay shrine anytime now. It wouldn’t be great to get caught by them in his new disguise. Disappointing Mipha is an old habit Link’s trying to break.

Instead, Link buys more hydromelons to cook up and then takes that long jog back to town. At least the tights are a bit more sandproof.  

Link finds, as he approaches the gates of Gerudo Town, that he was right to put the outfit away. Urbosa is talking to the guards, looking frustrated but persistent. Mipha is leaning against the wall of the town with a box of jellies and fruit, watching Urbosa talk. Revali is also there behind Urbosa, backing her up when she takes a moment to breathe.

Mipha perks up when she sees Link come closer. She darts her eyes at Revali and Urbosa and shakes her head. Link starts to hear some of the discussion as he comes to lean against the wall with Mipha.

“-so even if we are here to take down the Divine Beast, you still will deny my friend entry to see the Chief?”

“Your friend could be Champion Revali himself and I still could not allow entry,” The one guard says gruffly, “Either leave him out here or be banned yourself for trying to aid him.”

Urbosa huffs and gives Revali a tired look.

Revali sighs, “It’s fine, Osprey. You tried your best.”

“Damn right I did… Call me ‘Osprey’ again, though, and you’ll lose some talons,” Urbosa says, not looking that mad about it. “Come on, Mipha. We can still get that audience between the two of us.”

“Right,” Mipha agrees and hands the box in her hands to Link.

Urbosa and Mipha give the boys passing glances before they head in. Link wishes them the best of luck.

Revali groans and walks away from the guards, over towards the shrine. “Now what do we do?” Revali asks as he plops into a squat on the shrine’s platform. Link follows suit with a shrug.

Now would probably be a good time for Link to mention his new contact, at least to Revali. The more he thinks about it, though, the more that sounds like a horrible idea. Several things could happen and none of the options would be worth the trouble. Link frowns. Keeping secrets hasn’t been known to fly well for him.

Inside the town, Urbosa and Mipha look around with wide eyes. The layout is beautiful and shows off merchant stalls and other pastime options.

As Mipha stops to goggle at the accessory-store’s sign, Urbosa taps her shoulder. “Don’t forget to rehydrate. You’re already drying up.”

Looking down at herself, Mipha notices the dry scales with a frown. She grabs for one of her many waterskins. “I can’t go anywhere, can I?” Mipha asks Urbosa as she dabs the water over her arms.

Urbosa chuckles, “Afraid not. Maybe we can get you some kind of outfit to help…” Her eyes rest on the clothing store on the opposite side of the road.

Mipha stays glum though, saying, “Not unless it has moistening properties, I don’t think it’ll be much use.”

“That’s true. We could still find something else though…”

The girls travel on up, following the obvious path towards the palace.

“Are you nervous?” Mipha asks kindly, sticking close to Urbosa’s side.

Urbosa takes a breath and lets it out steadily. “Nervous is a word for it. I’m not sure what to expect. Will they know who I am? The guards didn’t…”

Mipha nods understandingly and slowly winds her hands around Urbosa’s arm. “I’m here for you, O’sea. No matter what we find out, you’ll still have us.”

They stop on the steps, still not quite able to see the throne room yet. Urbosa leans down to pull Mipha close into a hug. She angles her bandaged hands away, but squeezes the Zora tightly anyway with her biceps.

When Urbosa pulls away, she gives Mipha a smile. “Glad to have you with, little red. Don’t know where I’d be without you.”

Mipha blushes, ducking her head, but keeps her hands wrapped around Urbosa’s arm as they continue up the stairs. The inside of the throne room is viewable from the entrance.

Urbosa stiffens up as they walk in. There’s a teenager there.

The child in question also sits up straighter as Urbosa enters. She looks to be ready to jump out of the throne when her guard, tall and imposing, puts a hand on her shoulder. The little girl looks up then at her guard, and her face returns to a more neutral expression.

When Urbosa and Mipha are some ways towards the middle of the room, the child’s guard calls out, “You stand before Lady Riju, chief of the Gerudo. Come no closer and state your business.”

“I have returned from my resurrection,” Urbosa calls back, looking only at the young girl, “I am Champion Urbosa, here to reclaim my Divine Beast once more.”

Lady Riju raises a hand up to her mouth in shock while the guard pounds the floor with her staff.

“That is enough! While your resemblance to the Riju-line is uncanny-“

“Buliara, please, wait,” the girl says, holding out her hands beckoningly to her guard, “This is what my mother spoke of. After the Champions fell, she said of how they were taken to a resurrection shrine. Only then to return to us much later. At the time, it sounded more like a legend…”

Buliara considers this before responding, “Chief, we cannot trust her simply because she bears a resemblance to… And you-!” Bolera points to Mipha, “Your name and business.”

“M-my name is Mipha!” Mipha answers, surprised to be called on, “I am a princess of the Zora Domain and a fellow Champion who was resurrected with Urbosa. I… I stand with her to help her calm her Divine Beast, as she has helped to calm mine!”

“You support her claim to Lady Urbosa’s name?” Boliara demands then.

Mipha nods, “I do!”

Lady Riju smiles as she leans forward. “Then maybe you’re efforts towards the Divine Beast won’t be in vain.”

“Lady Riju!” Buliara interrupts, rudely in Urbosa’s opinion, “I do not see how you can trust these two strangers with something as important as this task. Maybe if they were able to prove their worth by recovering your stolen Thunder Helm…”

“You want us to clean up after your slip up,” Urbosa scoffs at Buliara, catching the guard’s attention.

Lady Riju leans back and relaxes her head on her fist. “That is an interesting suggestion. And while I do take offense on Buliara’s part, I still believe you deserve a chance to prove yourself.

“Besides there is only one thing in all of Hyrule that can withstand the lightening from Naboris. The Thunder Helm, a family heirloom and relic of the Gerudo people, was stolen from us.”

“You needn’t worry, Lady Riju,” Buliara reassures her, “If they are truly Champions, then this will be an easy task for them.”

Buliara then addresses Urbosa and Mipha, “Our soldiers can tell you everything you need to know about the thieves that stole Lady Riju’s heirloom. Head through that arch over there,” Buliara directs off to the right side of the room, “It will lead you to the barracks. Then, seek out Captain Teake, and ask for a full report.”

“Without my heirloom, you’ll never be able to approach Naboris,” Lady Riju adds. Her eyes still study Urbosa, searching the older woman’s face.

Urbosa returns the questioning look and asks, “Do you really believe me to be a liar?”

This makes Lady Riju uncomfortable and she recrosses her legs before answering, “I do not. I take to heart what you’ve said and your mission to stop Naboris. But we cannot trust you on word alone.”

Her face grows complex before she adds, “Please do prove Buliara wrong. I would love to believe you are here in the flesh.”  

Mipha squeezes Urbosa’s arm and they take their leave, off to the barracks. Slowly, they walk down the stairs and stop to look at the soldiers. Most are just talking as their captain overlooks them all. They must be on a break.

“…that was no Koriga,” Mipha says softly. Her eyes search up at Urbosa’s distant look. “Are you okay?”

Urbosa looks around the barracks. It still looks the same to how she remembers. Little Koriga ran around here and it feels like it was just yesterday… Urbosa answers back slowly, “Koriga probably would not have survived for so long. We knew that before we arrived.”

“Urbosa…”

“I’ll be fine,” Urbosa says, turning her head then to blink at Mipha, “Really. Let’s talk to the soldiers. See what we can figure out. The sooner we get this over with, the better” Urbosa slips her arm out of Mipha’s hands slowly and starts backing up towards the soldiers. “So let’s get started.”

Mipha frowns in concern, but follows after Urbosa all the same.

Out at the shrine platform, Revali is lying on his back. Bored out of his skull.

“How long is this going to take?” he groans. He brings a wing up to wipe over his face. Not really because he’s that hot; he just wants to look more annoyed than usual.

Link sits slumped over his Sheikah Slate. He really should take more pictures, this compendium is basically empty.

An idea strikes Link and he starts taking out a bunch of his materials, lining them up along the platform. Revali watches with a raised eyebrow.

“Plan on cooking?”

Link shakes his head, then frames a hydromelon in the camera rune.

Revali sits up and scoots over so that he can look over Link’s shoulder.

“Light’s a little bright, isn’t it?” Revali asks. Link agrees, the photos are coming out a bit yellow-washed from the desert, but it’s all they have to work with.

Link goes through about half of his materials before Urbosa and Mipha show up again.

“Took you two long enough!” Revali calls as soon as they approach the shrine.

Mipha frowns at him as she applies more water liberally over her arms and neck.

“They don’t want to believe us,” Urbosa states before she squats down on the other side of Link’s materials. Then she points out, “Your butter’s melting.”

Link’s eyes go comically wide and he grabs the runny butter up. After it’s stored he looks down at his greasy hands in disdain.

“They don’t want to believe you?” Revali parrots in confusion. “I didn’t know anything was up for debate. There’s a big sandstorm terrorizing the desert. Don’t they care about that?”

Urbosa frowns and Mipha takes a seat by Link.

In Urbosa’s silence, Mipha fills them in, “It’s not that they don’t want to stop the Beast. Vah Naboris could come into town any day. They just don’t trust _us._ And they have every right, I suppose. We have no proof that we are the people that we say we are.”

Revali’s brow crinkles, but he becomes more understanding, “Right. I had the same kind of problem at Rito Village. I was a bit of an outcast there until we unearthed my old quarter.”

“Right,” Urbosa huffs, eyes meeting Revali’s, “You also had this issue. I tried to prepare myself, I really did…”

“They’re open to the idea. The Chief is actually very trusting of us. We just have to do a favor for them first, to earn their trust,” Mipha explains.

Revali asks then, “What is the favor exactly?”

“That Yiga Clan we’ve heard about… They’re hideout is to the north of here,” Urbosa says, her voice a little darker, deeper now. “A couple nights ago, they stole an heirloom belonging to the Riju line. The Thunder Helm. It’s impertinent that we get it back. Especially considering, according to the little chief, we’ll be needing it to get through Naboris’s lightening attacks.”

Link adds the mission to the Slate, and adds a beacon for their direction.

“Lightening, huh,” Revali says, eyeing Urbosa’s hands, “That will be fun.”

Urbosa chuckles, “You’re telling me. Hopefully after this mission… I’ll be able to learn more about my abilities… and that little girl.”

Revali’s face furrows in confusion, but Urbosa doesn’t elaborate, leaving it to Mipha instead.

“The Chief… she’s very young. She can’t be older than… 15? Is that how Gerudo aging works?” Mipha says, leaving her lingering questions to Urbosa.

“I’m not sure,” Urbosa says grudgingly, “but if Impa says Koriga had a chance of being alive still, then Gerudos may age slower than some. Though I do not believe this chief to be much older than 15. She’s very small.”

“That’s… concerning,” Revali says slowly.

Urbosa nods before rising to her feet. “We should get going as soon as possible.”

Mipha gets up as well, but puts her hand on Urbosa’s arm to stop her from going anyway. “We? I’m not sure what you think is happening, but _you_ are not going to the hideout.”

Urbosa looks back at Mipha incredulously. “And why would you say that?”

“Your hands!” Mipha says, exasperated, “Your hands are still burnt! You can’t barely pick up a spoon right now, let alone a sword or bow. You’ll have to leave the actual mission to us.”

“I-“ Urbosa looks split before she frowns, “They’re asking us to do this to prove ourselves. I can’t just let someone else do this for me and then take the credit. You heard them, if I really am a Champion, then I should be able to go.”

Mipha looks close to audibly groaning and Link has to agree. Urbosa needs to let her hands heal.

“If you hurt your hands even more than they are right now, they might never heal.” Mipha explains, steadily.

Urbosa folds her arms over her chest, her bandaged hands sticking out awkwardly. “What if I don’t hurt my hands?”

Mipha rolls her eyes and starts rallying the other two, “We can’t let her go, right? It’s in her best interest.”

Link and Revali nod, making Urbosa throw her hands in the air. The rush from doing that, however, makes her bring them back down again with a yelp.

Urbosa overlaps her hands in front of her, a grimace on her face.

“Maybe so,” she agrees stubbornly, not looking at any of them. It’d make Link laugh if he didn’t sympathize with her. “I still want to help though,” she says, “So what can I do?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're in Gerudo Town. We're feeling sad. And hot. And confused. What else is new? 
> 
> Thank you guys for your kind comments! My farms are thriving. My skin is clear. I'm not dying right after picking up rare rng items. It's all thanks to you guys :)
> 
>  
> 
> EDITED:  
> So! Real bros, rechecking the end notes again, sup? 
> 
> Unfortunately, we never got a call over whether they’ll buy our house! We really just have to keep playing it by ear cause they really aren’t giving us much choice :/
> 
> In terms of updates?   
> I’m updating this coming Tuesday just cause there’s no way we’re leaving this weekend. 
> 
> So thanks for coming back to checkup on this! Ya’ll are wonderful, see ya Tuesday <3


	24. Wasteland

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ten cookies to whoever finds the (:B first <3

The party leaves for the Yiga Clan Hideout that night.

It is agreed that Urbosa and Mipha would give priority over finding the lost soldier, Barta. Barta’s medical care and safety being of the highest importance in this op. Link and Revali are to survey the hideout and locate the missing Thunder Helm.

Further decision-making would be made once inside the hideout.

The ride to the hideout is uneventful. The party flies by on rented sand seals, feeling only a small bite from the chill of the desert night. Everyone has their own seal except for Revali and Urbosa, the solid walls of Revali’s wings keeping her safely on the shield.

Eventually they have to leave the seals behind to climb up the rocky path. For a hideout, the route to it is very straight forward. However, it isn’t long until they are accosted by the Yiga who watch over the entrance.

It’s… embarrassingly easy to get through them. The party is picking up more rupees and bananas than they are scratches or wounds. Even with Urbosa standing on the sidelines. The worst of the damages comes when Revali stubs his talon on a protruding rock.

It’s easy walking until they get to the actual entrance, a circular room with high walls. Several archways surround them, blocked away from view with hideous drapes. With torches, lit by the torch centered in the middle of the room, Mipha, Link, and Revali run around to check which way to go.

“Over here,” Revali stage-whispers. His wing holds back a drape and his torch illuminates a set of stairs behind it. Everyone rushes to him, and they make their climb up. Link frowns. Between Mipha’s fins and Revali’s talons, they make an awful lot of racket.

 Thankfully, there isn’t a Yiga Clan member in sight as they cover the landing. Actually, there’s only one person in view. The missing soldier.

Barta’s eyes go wide when she sees the party arrive. “Who are you?”

Urbosa and Mipha rush to bars that block the soldier’s escape. “We’re here to get you out,” Urbosa assures Barta, “Are you injured?”

Barta talks with Urbosa and Mipha while Link looks out over their next obstacle. It looks like the hideout is constructed with narrow corridors, which then are patrolled by a thuggish brute. Presumably around every corner.

“Killing more Yiga might set off alarms,” Revali mulls over. Link agrees. Stealth is the only way through this. He looks over at the soldier again. They can’t just leave her here.

Link walks over to Mipha and pulls out his Sheikah Slate. Mipha gets spooked by the motion and then eyes Link cautiously.

He hands the Slate over to Mipha and she takes it, but she looks confused.

“Take everyone out of here,” Link says lowly as he pulls out the rest of his Stealth Armor, “I’ll scout and see if I can find the Helm. If there are too many of them, I’ll leave. In and out.”

“You can’t-“ Mipha tries, but Link interjects.

“There’s too many of us and we’re too loud. Let me do this.”

Revali leans over Link’s shoulder, asking, “What is this now? Trying to shake the rest of us off your tail feathers?”

Link stiffens and his face gets red. Mipha gives him a studious gaze before nodding.

“No, I think Link’s right. This is hard enough without all of us tagging along-“

“That’s what _I’m-_ Wait, you agree with him?” Revali voices, growing betrayed as he registers Mipha’s statement.

Mipha nods again, giving the Slate a thoughtful flip between her hands. “This needs to go quietly. And we haven’t exactly been that since coming in contact with these Yiga. Imagine how bad it could actually get at the heart of the hideout.”

“I was the one who said we needed to sneak through-“ Revali tries again, but Urbosa interjects.

“Then you can stand guard outside. But the rest of us really should get going if that’s what we’re doing.” Urbosa looks out behind everyone where an ignorant guard continues to prowl the grounds. “Who knows when that meat head will see us. We aren’t exactly conspicuous.”

Mipha reaches out for Barta’s hand, and the Gerudo solider takes it warily. Then Mipha turns to Revali, “Go outside and keep an eye out. Make sure you guys get back to town before sunrise. The Yiga on the roads close by will probably flood the hideout when they come back.”

Urbosa reaches a hand over to Mipha, and the girls double check with Link before they teleport Barta out of her cell.

“They do like to leave all the hard work to us, don’t they,” Revali says unimpressed. Link shakes his head before he motions for Revali to leave the way they came. “Really. You actually think I’m going to leave you down here by yourself.”

Link folds his arms impatiently.

“You don’t even have an escape plan without the Sheikah Slate!” Revali stage whispers down at him.

Link looks around, giving his head a little annoying bob to it.

Then he purses his lips and points to the Rito’s talons. Revali looks down in confusion.

“What about them? They’re my feet.”

Link uses his pointer fingers to tap the air while he clicks his tongue off the roof of his mouth. Revali rolls his eyes.

“I can muffle them if it’s that big of an issue.”

Link frowns and crosses his arms tighter on himself.

Revali leans in and puts his wings to either of Link’s shoulders. “You can’t do this by yourself, Link.”

Link glares up at him defiantly.

“Okay,” Revali amends, “Sure, you probably could, but you _shouldn’t_. And you don’t have to.” Link doesn’t look away, but his shoulders loosen a little. “I’m coming with you.”

Link’s eyes dart away and then back with a little nod. There’s a ruthful smile curling his lips. Revali squeezes Link’s shoulders and lets him go, relieved to have that out of the way.

It’s takes a moment for the boys to get fully equipped into their Stealth Armor. Revali pointedly keeps his eyes on his talons as Link changes his shirt. But then he can’t get the excess cloth he has to stay tight on his talons, so Link offers to help.

Revali takes the opportunity to look down at Link hunched over his talons. His blonde hair is still soft from the oasis bath they took earlier today.

Link ties the last knot and gives Revali’s newly covered talons a flourish. Revali takes a moment to flex them; it feels horribly uncomfortable, but Link is already walking down into the mouth of the Yiga Clan. Quietly, Revali rushes to catch up.

It isn’t that hard to walk circles around the first guy. His obviousness basically escorts Revali and Link into the next room.

Upon sight of the next guard, though, Revali ducks instantly. Link is beside him in a heartbeat, sidling up to hide against the same wall. The questioning grunts of the guard make Revali tense with anticipation. It gets louder until the guard has to be just around the corner, but then they fade again. Link slides along the floor to look around the corner closer to the next doorway. He gives Revali a thumbs up.

They stay waiting for the guard to move for some time before they realize that this is the guard’s permanent position. They’re going to have to do something to distract him.

Link slides back to Revali’s side with a frown. Then he pulls out… a bundle of bananas? He hands them over to Revali, whose eyebrows are raised to the nine. Link makes a chucking motion. Sure. It was a bit of a stretch to think all of the Yiga were absolute idiots, but Revali could bite.

Revali throws the bananas out in front of the guard. Incredibly, the guard starts to make happy giggling noises. Link slides out first and rushes to the doorway. Revali is right behind him.

The doorway only has one option past it: a ladder. The boys make quick work and clamber up, only to find themselves on a wooden walkway. To their right there is barely any wood work to hide behind, but they’re too high up to catch anyone’s attention. Down below there are guards everywhere, walking back and forth amongst the rows and rows of storage.

The catwalk, however, is blessedly empty. It gives them the perfect chance to catch their breath and make plans for where they’ll go next. First thing is first though.

Link gives Revali a furtive smile as they walk into an enclosed part of the walkway. It’s a nice sort-of room with a large table in it. A large table that just so happens to be absolutely covered in Mighty Bananas.

Revali gives Link a disapproving look. Which Link pays no mind to as he starts pocketing the bananas.

“We don’t need all of these bananas,” Revali tries, but Link doesn’t care. He’s taking all of these bad boys. All of them. The bananas are his. He will be the new banana king.

Revali rolls his eyes at the Hylian’s antics, but then notices a chest in the room. Well, they are here to steal. Might as well make bank.

He opens it up and there’s just a topaz in the chest which. Okay, it is valuable. But you could put more than one rock in here. It’s a chest. This topaz honestly took up just an eighth of the space in here. Resources are not this scarce people. 

Revali turns around to see Link snacking on one of his bananas at the table. The absolute gremlin has the audacity to offer one up. Goddess above, does Revali hate this guy.

Link tries not to choke, the faces Revali makes are just too good sometimes.

Back to the task at hand, though, there looks to be more walkways that they can take to get to the next archway. The only problem being that the walkways don’t directly link to the catwalk they’re on. There is a ladder further in the room that they can try to get to, but Link has a different idea.

Revali watches as Link ambles out of the catwalk and onto the other side of the fencing that surrounds the table up here. He slinks along, quiet as a mouse, and drops onto the other walkway. Which is all well and good.

But Revali isn’t too sure he has that good of… grip. Sure, holding himself up isn’t a problem. His arms are plenty strong enough and a bow is one thing. This kind of climbing though… Let’s just say that ladders are a foreign enough concept. The idea of having to amble across some walls like a monkey… Ugh. Unfortunately, Link isn’t in the mood to be patient with him.

Best not to disappoint then. Revali pulls himself over the edge and wraps his wingtips around the curved wood he has to somehow find purchase on. It is genuinely horrible and not nearly as easy as Link makes it out to be. Why does he have to make everything look so easy and effortless?

Revali’s almost out of breath by the time he makes it to the other walkways. Link pats his back understandingly, but Revali pushes the hand away. He doesn’t need this pity patting right now.

There really isn’t much too it after that. They slink to the chest on top here and then distract the last guard away from the doorway. Then they’re in. They are at the mother hole of the Yiga Clan.

It’s the place where all the good stuff is.

Or… where all the good stuff is supposed to be.

Link and Revali spend awhile just unburying chests. Chest after chest it’s just… not what they’re here for. They get around to the last buried chest, the metal unbearable to have to dig up by hand, and it’s not even worth it anymore.

Revali wants to groan, this is so bad. But this is the last room! What if the Thunder Helm isn’t even here?

Link sits is a slump and leans against an open chest. Revali slumps down next to him. They’re virtually stuck here until a guard walks in and catches them. And for what? They couldn’t even find their target.

Link’s head slumps onto Revali’s shoulder, the feeling being eerily similar. It takes a moment, but then Revali remembers their time on Vah Ruta. How Link was so vulnerable after just being newly resurrected. They sat there and talked for what felt like forever. Just hoping that Mipha and Urbosa would make it out okay.

Then it just strikes Revali as unacceptable that after two Divine Beasts, come death and wild white lightening, that being caught at the dead end of the Yiga Clan’s hideout… of all people… They can’t end like this. 

“Link,” Revali says slowly, rolling his shoulder out from under Link’s head. Link looks up with a frown. “There has to be another way out of here.”

Link looks around the room, despondent. His eyes are wide as he motions around helplessly. Then his shoulders roll forward. “We don’t even have the Thunder Helm…”

“We’ve been in worse spots though,” Revali bumps Link with his shoulder. Link gives him a fake smile and bumps Revali back. “We just need to look a little bit harder…” Worse case: they’ll have to kill the guard from earlier to try to sneak back out.

Revali gets up and starts inspecting the room. The chests had been hidden, horribly but admittedly, so maybe there’s something more that they’re just not seeing yet. “You know…” Revali trails as he feels along the walls, pushing and knocking to check for hollow sounds. “We’ve come a long way from where we started. Could you imagine if this had happened to us when we had just woken up?”

Link has to smile at that. Still sitting by the chest, he watches for a bit as Revali spreads his wings all over the walls. “You would have stayed outside. If you had just got up at the Resurrection Shrine.”

“Ouch,” Revali says, looking back at Link if faux pain, “I resent that. But alas, you’re most likely right. I really did not like you as much as I do now.”

Link’s smile grows larger and he gets up to help out. Though he can’t help but to prod, “I’ve grown on you?”

Revali stills, visibly looking like he’s recounting what he just said. Then he pointedly nods, adding, “Like a rose in my heart. Thorns and all.”

Link snorts and shakes his head. His hand grazes a part of the wall then, and it feels different. Not like the rest of the rock wall that’s around. Link pulls the fabric of another awful drape aside to show off the metal wall behind. Revali stands back to get a better look as Link tears the drape down.

“You’ve got to be kidding, that’s so obvious…” Revali groans. Link just shrugs back at him before he gives the metal wall an experimental shove. It doesn’t budge. “Let me help.”

Link waits for Revali and they line themselves next to each other.

“Before we… shove ourselves into a new problem…” Revali starts, regretting his rose statement, “I do honestly appreciate the time we’ve had together. It makes me proud that we have come so far, and I care about you a great deal… Do remember that, okay?”

Link gives Revali a confused look, but finally he nods. An awkward smile on his face when he answers, “You too, birdbrain.” He lands some reassuring pats on the Rito, and leans against the wall. “Ready?”

Revali wants to huff. Maybe go into detail about what he meant? Obviously that wasn’t the most… blunt thing he could have said. He means he’s feelings were said, sure, but his intent… Well, what was his intent anyway?

“Revali?”

“Huh?” Revali starts, then shoulders the wall like Link is doing, “Right. Yes, I’m ready when you are.”

“Okay.” Link gives a countdown then silently with his hand. Three. Two. One. His hand slams into the metal door and they’re both pushing with all of their might.

It takes a strong initial shove, but it swings open easier the rest of the way. Revali follows Link out, and they find themselves in an open area outside the treasure chamber.

There’s a large circular pit out here, huge natural rock shelves encompass the area. Though opposite of them seems to be a trail that continues on. To where, it’s hard to tell.

Out of nowhere, they hear the sound of rustling paper. A member of the Yiga Clan has just appeared.  

They drawl their weapons as they turn to the source. Behind them one of the Yiga is rubbing their eyes underneath their mask. His voice is gruff, but strangely pitched.

“Hey! Who the heck are you? And what are you doing in my napping spot?” The guy yells, already posing to fight.

Revali puffs up his chest. “We are the Champions Revali of Rito Village and Link of… Link, Princess Zelda’s Royal Guard.”

“Champions…” The guy trails before he stiffens up, “Wait! You!” He points at Link. “You’re that Link-guy! The one I’ve been looking for! I have my scouts out looking high and low for you, and you just happen to wander right into my hideout!” He has a weird laugh to match his weird voice. 

Link raises an eyebrow.

“You know I’m here too…” Revali trails, lowering his bow only a fraction to give the stranger a disappointed pout.

“Oh!” The guy states, “Excuse me!” Revali perks up, but it just sounds like he’s working himself up into a tangent. “I haven’t introduced myself! I am the leader of… the Yiga Clan!” This leader guy even starts doing a weird little dance. “The strong!! The burly!! The one!! The only!! _Master Kohga!!!_ ”

Master Kohga is a silly man by nature apparently.

Revali feels no remorse for Kohga when he shoots the idiot while his bomb hovers just a foot above his own head. Like the other things related to this hideout mission, defeating Master Kohga is embarrassingly easy. When Kohga goes down for the last time, the pair of Champions are rewarded for their hard work with a chest.

Revali looks at the chest skeptically. Above, the sky is just starting to turn a lighter blue. Link goes to kneel before the chest and unlocks it slowly. Inside is the missing Thunder Helm. Link gives a relieved laugh as he holds it up for Revali to see.

“Great, let’s get out of here,” Revali huffs, a tired smile touching his eyes.

Link pockets the Thunder Helm and pulls out his paraglider. Revali creates an air draft and they hop out of the hideout. Hopefully, never to return to that rat hole ever again.

The flight back is long. Longer than the sandseals took actually, but none the less, they get back to Gerudo Town before the heat of the day sets in. Mipha and Urbosa are sitting by the Daqo Chisay shrine, waiting for them.

“Did you find it?” Is the greeting that Urbosa gives when Revali and Link approach.

With a grin, Link pulls out the Thunder Helm for Urbosa.

Her face relaxes in relief and she holds her hands out expectantly. Link carefully hands the helm over, and Urbosa tilts it this way and that.

“So this is the precious heirloom…” Urbosa says, “It is magnificent, isn’t it. I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised…”

Revali huffs then, “We had to kill the leader of the Yiga Clan to get that back. A little gratitude now would be appreciated.”

Mipha starts at that. “The leader? So you did get yourselves into trouble…”

Link laughs, confusing the girls. Then he shakes his head.

 “He’s just being modest,” Revali insists, shoving Link away so that he can keep the attention, “It was probably the hardest fight of my whole career…” Link busts up behind Revali.

Urbosa frowns and tilts the helm again absently. “I’m sure.”

Mipha yawns and stretches her arms upwards. “We should go take this to the Chief.”

“Right,” Urbosa agrees and gets up, “Why don’t you boys go rest up at the Kara Kara Baazar? We’ll bring news back after our next audience.”

“Can’t argue with that…” Revali agrees and spreads his wings, “Ready for another leap?”

Link pulls out his paraglider, letting Revali’s next air draft carry him most of the way to the Baazar. The rest of the walk is silent, the ache from the all-nighter starting to set into their bones. As they approach the inn, though, a familiar red head opens the door.

Vilia starts when she recognizes Link and her eyes dart between Revali and him. Link gives her a shy smile and waves. Revali watches with tired eyes as Vilia approaches Link. She leans on his shoulder, whispering something that Revali can’t make out.

Whatever it is, makes the Hylian blush. Link stammers, not actually saying any real words, before he settles on nodding back an affirmative. The strange woman then wraps her arms around his one arm and starts totting him off.

“Wait!” Revali calls after Link, “Where are you going now?”

Instead of Link answering, the woman calls back, “He promised me a date! Don’t worry, I’ll bring your friend back in one piece... This time!”

Revali watches, confused beyond belief, as Link continues to get totted away. The Hylian gives him a wave and puts up no fight, so he must know what he’s getting into. Revali lets it go and heads into the inn. Still, this is… Why would Link be going on a date with some girl? It puzzles Revali’s brain as he heads back to their bunk.

Link must be trying to get something out of her. Does she have a useful weapon? Or maybe some intel that could be of use later? Or maybe she knows something of their long forgotten past… The questions are driving him crazy!

He lays down in their bed with a thunk. What if Link is swinging the other way? The straight way… Revali hadn’t even considered that that could happen. Could that happen?

Link lets himself get dragged out behind the inn.  

“Why don’t you get changed then! I’ll keep lookout,” Vilia beams at him and then promptly turns around. Vilia’s a strange one, but Link can’t help to find her enthusiasm encouraging. How often does he really get to pretend he’s someone else? Even if it’s just for a little while…

Link packs up his old clothes, and taps Vilia on her shoulder. She whips around and brings a hand to her face. “Looks just as good as the first time,” she compliments him. Then her hand is holding his and their off back down the trail to Gerudo Town.

“So tell me, Link, who was that Rito earlier? He’s traveling with you right?”

Link nods, trying to think of a casual way of describing who Revali is. There’s an allure to keeping Vilia separate from the chaos of their mission. “That was my friend. He’s in my party. There’s five of us traveling together.”

Vilia’s eyes twinkle at him. “Lots of friends then? That sounds nice, to get to explore with a whole gang…” Vilia keeps Link’s mind busy with questions about his friends and asking about the places they’ve seen.

When they come to the gates, they get quieter, but continue to talk back and forth. They don’t get stopped though and Link gets his first view of the inside of Gerudo Town.

“Something from out of a fairytale, isn’t it?” Vilia whispers, squeezing Link’s hand. Link agrees, nodding. There are so many shops here! And the palace looks amazing up close. There’s so many people… Link takes special note of the Gorons who amble around with the Gerudo. Revali will have a field day when Daruk is allowed in.

“Ah,” Vilia sighs, her attention caught by one of the Gerudo women, “Isn’t she beautiful? Her outfit is absolutely stunning on her…” Link looks to the woman Vilia is pointing at. She is a very fancy woman decked out in an ornate skirt and several accessories… but she looks pretty upset.

“Should we go see what’s wrong?” Link asks Vilia.

Vilia looks uncertain. “I don’t know… She looks mad. We shouldn’t bother her.”

Not so much mad, Link thinks. More like on the verge of tears.

“Let’s go see…” Link tugs Vilia along over to the woman. Link waves at the beautiful woman, and she waves back glumly.

“Sav’otta… Great. There goes the last of my precious time… Spent in greeting you…”

Vilia leans to Link’s ear, “See? We should just leave her be…”

“What’s wrong?” Link asks the stranger, earning some irk from Vilia.

“Oh…” The woman says, her eyes glazed, “I have this accessory store. But because of the Divine Beast, our shipments of flint are… lacking of late. Without flint, I can’t keep the store open. I don’t know what to do. If I only had ten pieces of flint… I could keep the store open just a little bit longer…”

Link looks into his storage and finds that he only has four pieces. He’ll have to ask the others if they can pool their supplies together for her.

“I’ll bring some around then,” he promises the woman, surprising her.

“Will you? You don’t have to help, but I can’t say that I wouldn’t appreciate it…”

Link and Vilia wander off then, heading over to the stalls of meats and arrows. Every once and awhile, Link checks the palace steps for Mipha and Urbosa. They’ve been lucky to not run into them yet.

“…that was pretty nice of you to offer to help. Not a lot of people would,” Vilia mutters, taking an invested interest in the fire arrows. “I’m not much of a markswoman, but these do look well crafted, don’t they?”

Link isn’t too sure, but he spends as much as he can on the elder’s arrows anyway. The bomb arrows are a steal at least.

“It’s nice having another Hylian to walk around with. To talk to. It can get pretty lonely, walking these lanes by yourself,” Vilia admits once they move on from that stall. Instead of checking out the rest of the main square, Vilia tugs Link over to the right side of town. “Let’s check out the soldiers. They’re a buff bunch, it’s all really quite impressive!”

Vilia gives Link a mischievous look and Link can do nothing but let her whisk him away. The toll of not sleeping tonight is starting to weigh on his brain. They stop just short of the entrance and Vilia peers in on the training area. Popping up just under her, Link takes a peek.

The soldiers are all standing at attention, facing towards the steps to the left. Up on top of the stairs are a group of women… Mipha and Urbosa included.

Link moves to duck back behind the wall, but Vilia is already tugging him away anyway. Quickly, she pushes him down the lane as fast as she can.

“That was the Chief!” Vilia whispers hurriedly as she rushes them away, “I’ve been visiting for months and never have I seen her with the soldiers. Sometimes Buliara but never… Something’s going on.”

Link sure hopes there is. From what he saw, it looks like Urbosa is now on good terms with the current Chief… But who knows how long they’ll keep talking to the soldiers. Maybe he should get back to the Baazar before things get out of hand. He’d hate to ruin the good things Urbosa has going for her now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woo! This chapter is just a rush of things that just keep happening. I know the pacing is a bit slow sometimes, so I hope it's refreshing! And not like... absolutely jarring haha
> 
> In other news, I actually wrote the next chapter ahead of time. I know, I'm shocked too. 
> 
> But! I have a special request!   
> Obviously, Vilia is going to continue her date with Link in the next chapter. And I'm writing her as a trans character, whether that's obvious or not... I don't know.   
> But there is some dialogue in the next chapter where Vilia talks vaguely about her reasons for coming to Gerudo Town, which are related to her trans status. 
> 
> To makes sure that I am representing this as respectfully as I can, I'd like it if a trans person would read this dialogue? I'd be more than willing to tweak the dialogue or even remove the subject entirely if need be. 
> 
> So if any of you readers are trans and would like to help out, message me through my tumblr at if-i-mae.   
> Any help, even if it's just reassurance that it's okay dialogue, would be appreciated greatly. 
> 
> Aaah, super long end notes, sorry.   
> Anyway, with that all said, I do have plans to post the next chapter on 16th.   
> I'll see you guys then <3


	25. Wasteland

Urbosa and Mipha enter the throne room to find it perfectly empty. The morning is still early, apparently too early for some young monarchs. So they take a seat off to the side, setting out the Thunder Helm for the young Chief to take notice of whenever she does finally down.

Mipha leans her head against Urbosa’s shoulder, trying and failing to suppress another yawn.

“Why don’t you take a nap, Princess? We could be sitting here for some time.”

“No, I think I can manage to keep my eyes open… Just for a little bit longer…”

Urbosa chuckles quietly. The morning air feels good and crisp. It’s probably the hidden nostalgia or some kind of sense-related memory, but Urbosa finds herself very partial to the mornings here in the desert over anywhere else they’ve been to so far.

Before long, the little Zora girl is sleeping soundly on Urbosa’s shoulder. Urbosa sighs and rubs Mipha’s sleeping head absentmindedly.

The throne room makes Urbosa’s heart feel heavy the longer they sit here. There’s so much importance clinging to every clay wall. Every line is a memory long forgotten. It makes Urbosa weary, knowing how much history there must be here. But how much of it is hers to be remembered? And how much of it simply happened after her time…

She takes her freetime and thinks about what it must have been like to sit in the throne. Urbosa imagines the clay under her hands, and the feeling is too realistic, too tangible. In her mind, she plays the idea of travelers coming to greet her. She can imagine only too clearly what it must have looked like.

The idea strikes her to imagine what an envoy from the Queen must have been like. It must have been an affair, to receive her in the palace. There must have been many guards, all women. Handmaidens probably flanked the Queen wherever she went… Urbosa bets she hated it. Based on the rebellious streak Urbosa remembers at least.

Did young Koriga ever come to the throne room? The answer seems likely, since the little girl had the gall to come into the soldier’s training area… For a delirious moment, Urbosa mistakes Chief Riju for her missing niece, as the Chief comes around from the stairs to their left.

Buliara is right behind the Chief and both stop in their tracks when their eyes land on Urbosa. Silently, Urbosa gestures over to the Thunder Helm. Their eyes drift to the helm and then back to Urbosa. The little girl’s eyes tear up. She looks up at Buliara and Buliara nods tersely, her gaze never leaving Urbosa.

To Urbosa’s surprise, the Chief scampers back up the stairs in a hurry. Meanwhile, Buliara continues her way down the stairs and takes a knee once she is within a couple of feet of Urbosa.

“Your Ladyship…” Buliara addresses Urbosa, her head tilted downwards, “After your latest audience with Chief Riju, we took it upon ourselves to investigate the Royal Archives for further information. We found your claims to be reasonable, as the Chief had thought. I apologize for the inconvenience.” Buliara then grimaces as she looks back at the helm. “Truly, I could not be more apologetic for these hurdles. I only live to serve the Chief and to keep her best interests above all else…”

Just then, Chief Riju comes toddling down the stairs, her arms overflowing with reading materials. Buliara looks up and immediately rises to go help her Chief. The young girl’s eyes shine with something unknown.

Buliara takes on the majority of the books and scrolls, letting Chief Riju take one scroll out of the pile. Then the Chief approaches Urbosa, holding the scroll out.

“This is a written record of the Riju royalty, spanning the time of several hundreds of years. Perhaps you would like to take a look?”

Urbosa smiles and pats the empty seat next to her, “Why don’t you unroll it and show me?”

The Chief swallows visibly, then takes a few steps to come up to Urbosa’s knee. She hesitates by Urbosa’s side before she takes her seat. As the Chief sits, Buliara goes to set the other resources aside. She then moves over to the throne, where she holds her usual position.

Urbosa watches patiently as the young girl unrolls the scroll. She starts from the bottom and only unrolls the papers out a comfortable distance in her arms. Urbosa notices that the parchment is sewn together, each new row in the family tree receiving its own individual slice. It gives the scroll a bit of a patchwork feel to it.

On the last paper sewn onto the bottom of the scroll, there is only one name that takes up the majority of the space. Urbosa points it out, asking, “Is this you then?”

The Chief pauses, having been looking farther up the scroll. Her eyes instinctively find the name Urbosa pointed out and she reads it out loud, “Makeela Riju. Yes, that would be me.”

“Last of the line…” Urbosa says hollowly, then her eyes search upwards, “Koriga is your mother?” Makeela nods, her mouth taking on a hard line. “Makeela?”

The Chief’s eyes widen as she answers, “Yes?”

“Did something happen to your mother?”

Makeela hesitates, but her voice remains steady as she answers, “My mother died… several months back now. She lived a very whole life, many have said. I was born rather late, during the last leg of her child bearing years…

“However, my mother… She was not one to sit back. Often she could be found out with her soldiers, fighting back the dangers of the deserts,” Makeela takes a deep breath before she continues, “Ironically, her fighting spirit was not her end. Instead an illness came over her suddenly. No one expected it…” Makeela looks up to Urbosa then, tears edging her eyes, “I am grateful for the time I did have with her. I am. I just don’t understand…”

“That’s enough,” Urbosa says, and she takes the scroll. Carefully, she rolls it back together, then places it beside the Thunder Helm. Gently, she nudges Mipha off of her shoulder. The Zora Princess doesn’t wake, instead her head lolls back gracelessly against the bench.

Urbosa holds her arms out for Makeela. “Come here, child. We both have so much to grieve for.” Makeela hesitates, but then rushes into Urbosa’s arms. The younger girl squeezes Urbosa as tightly as she can. “I… I left Koriga when she was not much older than you, little one. Now I will live to regret that I could not come back in time…”

“No,” Makeela chokes out wetly, “No. You have nothing to regret. You’ve done so much…”

“Makeela…” Urbosa sighs patiently.

“No!” Makeela sits up, and tears pour from her eyes, but she keeps pushing through. Her voice is loud as she speaks her piece, “You did _everything_ you _could!_ You gave your _life_ for this world! My mother _raised_ me to have _so much love_ for you! Don’t say-“

“Shhh, little one,” Urbosa lulls, petting Makeela’s hair down, “I do not doubt your love. I have known since you recognized my name. You saw me and you knew I was of your own… My own blood…” Urbosa rocks the girl and they sit like that for a time, simply rocking back and forth.

Mipha wakes sometime during their conversation, but she only moves once they have calmed to some degree. “Urbosa? Should I leave?”

“Mipha,” Urbosa says, leaning half out of her hug to look at her companion, “I’m sorry…”

“No,” Makeela answers softly, rubbing the tear tracks from her eyes. Her shoulders still shake. “Please stay. I did not mean to forget you like that…”

Mipha straightens some in her seat. “Don’t consider me forgotten. I only just woke up.”

“I see…” Makeela says softly before looking up into her great-aunt’s eyes, “I still can’t believe that you are here…”

Someone clears their voice near them, and the Rijus jump. Buliara stands by with a large golden plate, stacked with fresh fruit and several rice dishes. Beside her is a younger girl who shakes as she holds a pitcher full of water along with three goblets. Buliara sets her tray down on a stool and takes the girl’s items before dismissing her.

“Water?” Buliara offers, not waiting for an answer before she starts to pour into the goblets. “These are trying times. Best to keep our strength up.” Makeela accepts the first goblet and sets it down by her feet. Urbosa takes the second and repeats her great-nieces motion, while Mipha takes the first chance she can to drink.

“Thank you…” Mipha tells Buliara, getting little in reply. Buliara simply bows away, back to her position no one had been aware that she had left in the first place.

Makeela’s attention drifts then to the Thunder Helm and she picks it up with mostly sincere enthusiasm. “So you actually brought back our heirloom! Well-“ She cuts herself off, looking sheepishly back up at Urbosa, “Actually I guess this is your… heirloom. Helm. It’s yours!” Makeela shoves it towards Urbosa, making the older woman grab it, lest it get dropped.

Urbosa rolls the helm in her hands. It’s weighty, made mostly of gold. The gems set in it are truly gorgeous. “Hm…” Urbosa reaches up and sets the helm up on her brow. The visor appears from the inside to be see-through, making it feel more breathable than the outside would make it appear. “How do I look?”

A surprised laugh comes from Makeela and she covers her mouth quickly, only letting her smile show through. “It’s very fitting for you and your status… Champion Ur… Urbosa,” she flounders, looking conflicted.

“Hey now,” Urbosa says, stern-faced behind the mask. She folds her arms in front of her impressively. “I may just be your great-aunt, but that by virtue still means that I still hold as an aunt in the eyes of a family. I will be greatly disappointed if you refuse to not call me as such, or some variation. Preferably something along the lines of ‘Auntie’. Though of course, your own comfort in the name will be taken into account upon judgement.”

“She takes her pet names very seriously,” Mipha peeks over Urbosa’s shoulder with a little grin.

“Yes, listen to Princess Mipha. She has great taste in pet names,” Urbosa says seriously, trying not to let her voice give away her growing smile.

Makeela’s eyebrows rise and she gives Mipha a wayward look. “I’ll be sure to take her council then, upon choosing the perfect name for you, your championship.”

“ _Your-!_ ” Urbosa breaks and she has to take off the helm so that she can have herself a good cackle. As she wheezes, she leans back to laugh along with Mipha, “ _Your championship! That’s rich!_ ”

“I didn’t mean-“ Makeela tries, but Urbosa waves her hand dismissively.

“No, no, it’s fine. Great even! Oh!” Urbosa rubs a tear away before she asks, “Please use that later! But-but, only use _‘your championship’_ to refer to me when Revali is around. That- that would be amazing, please do that.”

Behind her, Mipha erupts into her own fit of giggles. Makeela only raises a curious brow, but she nods, promising to do just that.

Urbosa sobers some in her laughter and smiles lovingly down at her niece. Slowly she raises a hand to cup the girl’s face. “You are such an amazing niece. To be Chief at such a young age… You’ve done well this year, Makeela. I’m so proud to call you my family.” Obviously still raw from earlier, the girl’s eyes tear up easily at the praise.

“Shh,” Urbosa chides, rubbing her thumb into the tear stream, “ _I know._ I know. So please, let’s speak of some other matters. Show me your military? Tell me your plans for Naboris. I will tell you mine in turn.”

“Can I give you some things first?” Makeela all but blurts. Her face flushes and she continues, “I mean, they are your things. We have only been holding onto them, waiting for you to come back. Come upstairs with me?”

Urbosa gives Mipha a questioning look and the Zora Princess shoos her off, promising to eat the whole breakfast while they are gone.

When they come back, Urbosa is decked out in her own traditional Gerudo outfit. Mipha’s eyes light up when she recognizes the design of Urbosa’s skirt to be that of the Champion’s design. On her back, Urbosa carries a new shield and sword. She looks more like herself than Mipha has ever seen her to be before. So naturally Urbosa, it almost hurts to look at her.

“Come look at the troops?” Urbosa asks her as they pass by. Obligingly, Mipha pushes herself up to follow after them. Behind them, Buliara follows like a shadow.

It’s the same as their first visit, except the soldiers seem more sluggish. Most likely due to getting up recently. Mipha briefly wishes she had slept as well as they must have.

The captain of the group calls her troops to attention. It’s hard to tell what is going on, but upon looking back at Buliara, it is obvious that some silent commands are in play. The soldiers come bout face, and then Chief Riju is addressing her women. Her voice is surprisingly clear and precise for someone so young.

Mipha’s eyes drift, letting the reactions to their resurrection slide. This isn’t about her, but Urbosa. She already had her grand welcome home via-soldier introduction. As gratifying as it is to see the surprise, there are other things to consider.

Such as the little peeping-janes who had just disappeared from the other entryway. Curious girls, certainly not Gerudo-born. Though they wear almost matching Gerudo attire.

Then Makeela turns to talk quietly with Urbosa, asking, “You said about Champion Revali being around correct? Am I to assume the other Champions have been kept at a distance to respect our laws?”

“That would be correct. Revali and Link especially are waiting in the Kara Kara Baazar for news.”

“Let’s allow them access then. Your allies are our allies.”

 Makeela continues speaking to the soldiers plainly then, making her request blunt and to the point. Some in the crowd frown, but they seem to understand her reasons.

Meanwhile, Vilia and Link duck into the bar at the end of the street. Eyes wide, Vilia giggles: clearly energetic after their sprint here. “That’s so exciting!” she coughs then, recomposing herself, “But hey, this bar is pretty good. Best drinks you’ll ever have... Though they might not serve you the good stuff since you’re… Well, how old are you?”

Link shrugs, mumbling his best guess: seventeen.

“Oh, honey,” Vilia leans back, “Aren’t you a bit young to be dating an older lady like me? Not that we can’t keep talking, your great fun. But, you know, keep your options open and all that.”

Link rolls his eyes as she drags him to the bartender, who happily gives Vilia a ‘Noble Pursuit’ and then slides a glass of milk over for Link. The smirk on the bartender’s face makes Link want to walk straight back out. Apparently seventeen is old enough to trust him with the safety of the whole kingdom, but yet he’s still too young to drink a stiff one. Maybe if he tells them he’s the hero foretold in ancient prophecy, they’ll give him a discount.

Instead, Link takes his milk and follows Vilia off into a corner of the bar. The shadows in here play perfectly to hide them from view as much as possible. They get cozy in the pillows, letting the luxury of Gerudo life give way to a small form of comfort.

“So…” Link starts off, watching as Vilia sneaks her straw under her veil. They didn’t give him a straw for his milk, but he can probably get away with moving the veil aside to take a drink. “Why Gerudo Town? Was it a far journey from home?”

“Why Gerudo Town…” Vilia repeats after she finishes her first sip. She reclines farther back into the cushions as she thinks up her reply.

“Well… Let’s say I don’t just dress this well when I come into Gerudo Town. This is me. This is how I prefer to dress. It’s great. Hateno Village though? That’s where I grew up. And they’re nice enough folk… but it’s hard to explain,” Vilia waves her hand dismissively before taking another thoughtful sip.

Then she continues, “I traveled for awhile before I sort of… settled here. Each town is great in its own way, but Gerudo Town? They’re amazing around here. I never have to brace for any negative attitudes. No one from Hateno will ever come this far, so no one remembers what I used to look like... I can really just relax and be myself. Isn’t that what we all want, in the end?”

Link nods understandingly. “A fresh start,” Link suggests with a raised glass.

He notices the hints of a smirk, hidden behind the profile of her mask. “Exactly,” Vilia raises her glass, “To a fresh start.” She taps her glass against his and takes another sip. Link follows suit with another drink of his milk.

Link frowns, then tells her, “Sorry if I’m a little quiet. I try to talk more with strangers, but I’m actually more of a mute with my friends.” Vilia gives him a confused look, making Link wonder why he even said that. “Never mind. Forget I said that. That was weird to tell you.”

“Nooo,” Vilia says abruptly, her hand coming down to rest on Link’s, “I’m happy you told me. I just didn’t expect- You’re mute?”

Link bobs his head a little uncertainly, smiling at her positive response. “I guess? I used to be entirely quiet when I was younger…” Not technically a lie. “Most people don’t know sign, so I had to talk more when we got on the road.” Also not actually a lie.

Vilia blinks at Link owlishly before her eyes brighten. “You must be from Lurelin! My gosh, we would have been neighbors basically!” Link balks because… what? But Vilia continues her quiet, excited squealing. “Lurelin is the only place I’ve seen where the people can be so quiet! Sure, I’ve heard your bunch get rowdy. I’ve been there at night,-“she winks at Link, “-but during the day? Unless you’re talking to foreigners, you aren’t talking at all. That’s crazy to me.”

Link smiles uncertainly. Is it an outright lie if he just agrees with her assumption? It’s hard to keep track of what he has and hasn’t said. Nodding is safe for now, so he just agrees and takes another drink of his milk. He’s going to run out before long.

Vilia sighs happily and cozies up closer to Link’s side. “I’m so glad you came to talk to me the other day. This is honestly the most fun I’ve had in awhile.”

Relaxing, Link has to agree. It’s risky, but following Vilia here has been fun. Her body heat is comforting, and the atmosphere feels so calming. Link can feel himself about to doze off. He really shouldn’t… He has to get back to the Baazar… But he’s so comfortable here, and between the milk and the sleep deprivation… He’s a goner.

Link blinks his eyes open when Vilia pries his glass out of his hand. “Sorry, I tried to let you sleep,” she says, taking the glass gingerly, “You were about to drop that.” Link nods blearily. He shifts up in his seat as Vilia goes to return the empty glasses.

Link blinks his eyes again and then he freezes. It’s getting dark outside.

Quickly, he scrambles out of his seat to find Vilia. She’s just laying down her rupees on the counter, so Link waits a beat before he takes her hand and leads her out of the bar.

“Whoa!” She yelps, and stumbles after him.

Link turns to her once they’re on the street, heading on their way towards the gates. “My friends will wonder where I am if I don’t get back. I’ve been gone too long already.”

Vilia catches stride with him. “I’m sorry! I didn’t know you had somewhere to be.”

“No, I shouldn’t have slept on you,” Link pauses before he grimaces, “Makes me a bad date, doesn’t it?”

“No, of course not, wait. Wait.” Vilia tugs Link off to the side once they get out of the town. “You need to change. Your friends don’t know you do this, do they?”

Link flinches at the thought. “No. No they don’t.” He looks around, but there aren’t that many private places out here. His eyes catch on the shrine. “Come over here.”

He leads her up to the shrine and pushes her into the elevator. Blue light surrounds them and they’re heading down into the shrine’s trial. Except it isn’t actually a trial now. It’s just an empty place that smells like residue mummy dust. Link tries not to think about it.

“You can get in here now?” Vilia asks, wonderstruck. She busies herself with looking at the electrical puzzle in this first area, while Link sheds his clothes in record time. Still standing moderately close to him, Vilia whistles lowly when his pants come off. To shut her up, he shoves his clothes at her face to hold while he digs out his other outfit from earlier.

While Link shoves his feet into his pant legs, the light for the elevator goes off again. Link looks up in shock. Quick on her wits, Vilia pockets the Gerudo outfit and unlatches her veil. Whoever is coming down is going to get a lot more than what they were bargaining for.

Vilia pulls Link to herself, mushing her lips to his in something not entirely unpleasant. Link groans at the surprise contact and his hand comes up instinctively to her face. To push her away or hold her is undecided, but is decided for him when the elevator lands on their floor.

“Link?” Urbosa calls from the platform, her voice unamused.

Vilia pulls back smoothly, reattaching her veil. Link gazes in horror as Mipha, Revali, and Urbosa give him varying amounts of stunned expressions.

“We just thought you’d like to know,” Urbosa says stiffly, “We are to eat a late dinner with my great-niece. If you need us, we’ll be in the throne room. Don’t worry, she waived all Champions to be allowed entry into Gerudo Town, so walk in at your leisure. The Chief seemed excited to get a chance to meet the Legendary Hero.”

With that said, Urbosa pushes the other two off the platform with her so that she could reactivate the elevator to take her back up. Mipha and Revali seem stuck on the slope before the elevator’s blue light goes off again. The platform returns helpfully.    

Mipha’s eyes dart to Vilia before they settle back on Link again. She looks confused and the bridge under her forehead is scrunched up. Revali opens his beak like he wants to say something, but his tongue is stuck to the roof of his beak.

Mipha tugs Revali onto the elevator with her and they leave in their own rush of blue.

Slowly, Vilia looks Link up and down, assessing the damage. He looks a wreck. Hair messy, lips red, and the fly of his pants undone. Some strangers catching them in between changes might assume they had been doing something risqué. But maybe that wasn’t the angle they were supposed to play here.

“Link I…” The boy looks close to tears. “Honey…”

Link shakes his head, frustrated-looking. He just continues to get dressed, not as rushed anymore.

Vilia looks away and only looks back when she hears Link walking away. She follows after Link as he heads up to the elevator. Silently, they go up. There’s a slight chill outside, but they ignore it for now. When your heart is beating this fast, what’s a little cold weather? Vilia keeps to Link’s side as he heads down to the Kara Kara Baazar.

“…you’re in the middle of a lot more than you let on,” Vilia finally says, about half way to the Baazar. Link just gives her an exasperated look. She raises her hands. “I’m sorry, I just had to say it. I didn’t know…” Link shakes his head and looks away.

Vilia waits a beat before she lets out a held breath. “Is it really that big of a deal? That you got caught kissing someone?” Link doesn’t respond, just stares of in the distance.

Vilia sighs, “If it’s worthy of the silent treatment then it has to be bad. If you have to tell them to clear this up… I understand,” she huffs out a laugh, “What is my secret to the important people up in the Chief’s palace. I should have known it was too good to be true…”  

Link stops Vilia with a gentle hand on her shoulder. In the middle of the path, Link reaches to hold her close. “Oh, sweetheart…” Vilia breathes out, squeezing him tightly.  

Link shakes his head when he pulls away. “Telling them everything could… Vilia, I’m not letting you get kicked out of Gerudo Town over this… My friends will come around,” Link takes a deep breath in and lets it out again in a rush, “They always do.”  

 Link takes Vilia’s hand again, and they continue to walk out towards the inn. When they get to the Bazaar, Link escorts Vilia up the inn’s ladder and for awhile, Link stays with her. Just to waste time. They hang out, watching the lights of Gerudo Town twinkle in the nighttime landscape.

He keeps an eye on the gates, waiting for his party to come back from the dinner. After a strong wind hits them both, Link grabs his doublet and wraps it around them both.

Vilia sighs, leaning her head onto Link, “Do you know yet? What you’ll tell them when they get back?”

Link sighs too and runs a hand through his hair. “No idea. I guess I’ll tell them the crossdressing thing. Getting into Gerudo Town. I won’t tell them I got the clothes from you. I’ll say…”

Vilia huffs a laugh when he can’t think of anything, “Just tell them. It’s okay, really.”

Link groans, “It’s not okay. I wish I hadn’t fallen asleep…” Vilia shushes him, petting his hair absently.

“Why do they care so much anyway?” Vilia asks then once Link had stopped trying to beat himself up.

“Mipha, for one.”

“Mipha? Was that the girl Zora?”

Link nods, trying to find a good way to put it, “Mipha liked me. A lot. She wanted to get married, but then she found out that I don’t like girls… so she dropped it. This looks... bad.”

“Uhhhuh,” Vilia hums, then says, “How did she not know you didn’t like girls? Were you two together when she said she wanted to get married?”

Link groans, “It’s complicated. I didn’t tell anyone for a long time. I guess I lead her on…”

“Ouch.”

“Yeah…”

Vilia frowns. “So the others are just mad on her half?”

“I… guess?” Link says, squinting at the new figures coming out of the town. It isn’t them. “Also we were waiting to hear how things went with the Chief. I was supposed to be sleeping here with Revali. We were up all night in the Yiga Clan hideout last night.”

“Oh… Wait, what? The Yiga Clan?!”

Link has to laugh. “Forget already? I’m… What did you say? ‘In the middle of it.’ Yeah, I’m just… stuck in all of it. Up to my waste in it. Can’t get out of it.”

“Right…” Vilia says, an uncanny ring to her voice. She’s silent for a tick before she asks, “So did you come on our date because you thought…?”

“No! No, I… I wanted to go into town anyway. I didn’t care…”

Vilia slumps against Link. “Okay.”

“Okay…” They stay light for a beat before Link frowns. “Why did you kiss me?”

Vilia flusters. “I-We were going to get found! I didn’t want anyone asking questions. I didn’t want them to find out why we actually went in there. How was I supposed to know…?”

“Shh…” Link hushes her, pulling her back to her. “It was impossible to know. If it was anyone else, it would have worked.”

“Yeah… Sorry I made you look like a liar to your friends.”

“No…” Link pulls his hands back so he can sign out old faith. ‘My fault.’

Vilia’s looks at his hands curiously. “What does that mean?”

Link smiles then mischievously. “It means: I’m always finding new ways to upset my friends. I’ll figure it out. Don’t worry about it.”

Vilia giggles lightly. “You should teach that sign then. Or maybe something a little bit more basic. Like what a pinkie twirl means? Obviously it’ll have to be after you’re done fighting bandits or monsters or whatever heroes are out here doing these days.”

Link laughs and nods. If he ever finishes with all this fighting, spending more time with Vilia would be nice.

His eyes settle back to the open doors of Gerudo Town. Another girl walks out of the front by herself and Link can’t bother to stay up waiting for his party any longer. “I have to go to bed. Sorry about this. You can keep the jacket if you need something-“

“No, I-I have something,” Vilia reassures him, pushing the doublet back into Link’s hands. She stops then and reaches into her storage. “Here,” she says, holding out Link’s Gerudo outfit, “To help explain yourself then.”

Link hesitates, but takes it. Tiredly, he gives a goodbye wave to Vilia before taking the winding path down to the ladder.

Doublet wrapped around his shoulders, Link shivers before entering the inn. The innkeeper nods to him as he passes her to the back area. Quietly, he brushes himself off, not feeling like taking off his clothes. He’s still feeling so much embarrassment, he’d rather just die honestly.

Lazily, Link throws the doublet over into the shelf, then the Gerudo outfit on top of it. He falls into a heap on the soft bed. Taking a deep breath, he realizes it smells an awful lot like Revali. It makes Link sad, realizing all that bonding they had done the other day in this bunk probably won’t mean much now…

The frustration tightens his chest and he breathes out a steady breath. It’ll be fine. He’ll fix it, explain himself better. They might still be disappointed in him, or annoyed, but after everything they went through together… Mipha and Revali deserve better from him. He has to set this right as soon as possible.

He has to.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ima just... hunker down in my shame corner for a week...
> 
> Special thanks to groundwaters from tumblr for beta-ing the Vilia dialogue! 
> 
> See you all again next Tuesday <3


	26. Wasteland

A decree had been given to the people of Gerudo Town to allow access for all of the Champions. It should have felt like a triumph, but Revali isn’t really in the mood anymore. He walks down the main stretch of the town and it feels like he had a weight in his gut. Any memories of the old city don’t matter.

Revali had just watched his best friend kiss some stranger like she meant something to him. 

_“Link?”_

The amount of respect the town gives them is almost beyond absurd. Where ever the Champions trod, there are bystanders watching them. Bowing to them at any given chance.

_“We are to eat a late dinner with my great-niece. If you need us, we’ll be in the throne room. Don’t worry, she waived all Champions to be allowed entry into Gerudo Town, so walk in at your leisure. The Chief seemed excited to get a chance to meet the Legendary Hero.”_

_“Where did the boy of prophecy go?”_

_“That’s a cute nickname for a lover. I’ll have to remember that,” Kass had said before pulling out his old notes. Urbosa’s laughter filled the air._

Another pang goes through Revali. They had just climbed the final step to the palace’s entrance.

_Revali had been so tired, trying his best to keep Kass amused by the cooking pot. It had been the first night he had ever experienced the blood moon. Waiting up for Link felt like a fool’s errand, but heading out to look for the careless Hylian was sounding upsettingly on point._

_Revali blinked when Kass waved to a figure in the distance. Revali looked up and sure enough, the manhunt would have to be canceled early._

_“Great of you to finally show up,” Revali huffed in relief._

_Kass leaned Revali’s way, asking, “So this is the friend we’re waiting up on, yes?”_

_“Yes, this would be Link.”_

Revali sits down at the table, barely registering the conversation around him. The food looks great. He probably told that to Urbosa’s niece. Mackheli. Makelena.

_Oh Hylia, had he messed up. He could feel it, in more ways than one. Revali knew he could be in trouble on the trip to Zora’s Domain. Thought it all ended in Vah Ruta. Then he felt the intense fondness afterwards. Such gratitude. Just being with Link…_

_“Not… not your fault…”_

_“You cannot blame yourself for dying in the face of that.”_

_“…don’t you?”_

_Link looked up at Revali with his big blue eyes. By the Goddess, he’s bad at this. Revali let out an exaggerated sigh and flopped his head back on top of Link’s. “Of course I do. I blame myself for everything…”_

_“I’ve grown on you?”_

_“Like a rose in my heart. Thorns and all. Do remember that, okay?”_

“Revali? Are you with us?” Mipha asks him quietly.

Revali jerks and the fork he’s holding clatters against his plate. The conversation around them quiets as the two Rijus turn Revali and Mipha’s way. Revali feels hot under the down.

“Sorry! Sorry, butter tips tonight,” Revali waxes as he picks his fork back up.

Urbosa frowns, but her niece distracts her by returning to their earlier talking point. Revali glances Mipha’s way to find the Zora staring at him intently. Revali swallows before tilting his head politely her way.

“You’re distracted.”

“I apologize. I’ve been lost in my thoughts…”

Mipha looks down at her plate and stabs a piece of fish. Her eyes dart to Revali again. “As am I. There’s been a lot to digest lately.” She keeps her voice low.

Revali does the same, muttering, “I’m sure you’re offended. Link was… He was something.”

Mipha sighs, “Yes, he was. Not like it’s my business. I have no claim on him…” Her eyes dart again, looking indecisive, before she lets herself continue, “Though I had thought for certain you would have had some bid on the matter.”

Revali blinks, shocked. “You thought _I_..?”

“Hadn’t you?” Mipha asks, facing him fully with a perplexed expression.

Urbosa sets her fork down. “Something you two would like to share?” Her niece eyes the Champions now with an excited glean.

Mipha reacts quickly, “We were just pondering when Sir Link would be joining us. It isn’t like him to skip a meal.”

Understandingly, Urbosa nods along, “No it isn’t. He may have had his fill earlier and if that would be the case, then he might already be in bed by now.”

“This was last minute of me…” Urbosa’s niece sighs.

“Don’t worry, Makeela. There will be plenty of opportunities to meet him in the future.” Urbosa’s voice continues to hold her niece’s attention as Mipha and Revali submit themselves to silence. Best to hold off their discussion for later.

 _“…you would have had some bid on the matter…”_ Revali doesn’t think he can stand it if he’s feelings were so transparent. _“Hadn’t you? “He may have had his fill earlier.”_ Revali wants to curl into himself so that he can slip away into the void.

If they were to know… Well if Mipha knows then surely Urbosa does as well. And then…

 

Then surely Link would have known too.

_Revali had been so flustered in the Kara Kara Baazar Inn. Link had started pulling the curtain closed, giving Revali an expectant look. Revali’s face kept getting warmer and Link looked him up and down before he motioned his head for Revali to hop in._

Had Link been playing with his emotions? Even then?

_They got comfortable on their respective sides. There was barely enough room and Revali’s wing got crushed against the wall. Link was so close. Then a finger hooked along the top of his bottoms. Revali tried not to groan, preventing it just barely._

_“Won’t you get hot?” Link’s finger skirted the lining of Revali’s pants._

Link had acted like he hadn’t known. Even if he was brazen at times. Downright unconcerned for personal space. Could Revali trust what he had thought was an earnest conversation that night? But especially after that night…

_They had swam together. Link let Revali comb out his hair… Revali, sitting above and around Link, asked, “Do you want to put it up yourself or should I braid it?”_

_Link’s face was red as could be. It was pretty satisfying, to have Link between his legs looking so pliable. But it was worrisome as well. The Hylian’s lips were soft looking, wet from the water. He wanted Revali to braid his hair for him._

Link didn’t have his hair braided any longer when they found him in the shrine.

Mipha touches Revali’s wing softly. “Why don’t we go retire for the night? The town inn sounds promising.”Revali nods numbly. He barely listens as Mipha makes their excuses and gives the Rijus their good nights. “Sav’saaba.”

It’s turning into a chilly night outside. Revali follows Mipha patiently as she walks out to where Revali presumes the inn is. That is, until she leads them outside of the town entirely. Mipha slumps against the outside wall and pulls a potion out from her belt. Revali settles down beside her as she downs the small bottle in one motion.

Mipha whips her mouth with her wrist before she slots the empty bottle away. From this spot, the desert seems to sprawl out around them. An occasional breeze stirs up the dust, but it isn’t unmanageable.

Revali hesitates before asking, “Why do you think I’d have a say on who Link sees?”

Mipha pulls her legs up in front of her, wrapping her arms around them. “Remember the Akkala Citadel?”

Revali huffs, “How could I forget? It was beyond intimidating. Guardians crawl up it like a beacon.”

Mipha smiles his way. “Right. Remember what we talked about? Before you flew after Link?”

“What was that?”

“You asked me: what made me think things would work out after Ganon. With Link. You wanted to know why I was so certain that Link would marry me after everything had settled down…”

“Oh… I did? That sounds… That doesn’t sound like me,” Revali corrects, his recollection of the conversation coming back in full. It had been more of a moment than a full-fledged chat, but what have you.

Mipha smiles kindly then. “Surely it doesn’t. Maybe I dreamt it up?” She stares at Revali intently, even tilting her head when he doesn’t cave right away. “But… if I hadn’t. I had to think then. Why would Revali ask me that? You aren’t normally so nosey, though I suppose you have been growing more personable lately…”

“Hey.”

“What could warm dear Revali’s heart? What but only the tender attention of a person he must care deeply about. Lie you might, but… I saw the way you looked at him,” Mipha’s eyes soften then, “It’s the way I also used to look at him.”

Revali’s feathers ruffle. “You… You have been spending too much time with Urbosa.”

“She is also observant by nature. It may be a fair comparison…”

“No, I was more so referring to this horribly presumptuous teasing that you seem to have picked up while in her company.” This manages a giggle from Mipha.

She settles quickly though, saying, “If I misjudged, please tell me. I was just so sure…”

Revali stares at Mipha for a moment before he lets his breath out in a rush. He’s never said this out loud before.

“You… weren’t wrong. I suppose. He can be rather nice to look at… When he remembers to bathe.” How embarrassing. Revali will have to bury his head in the sand and never come out again… Maybe after Mipha leaves.

“You two would look good together…” Mipha comments loosely, her eyes wandering out to the scenery.

Mimicking Mipha, Revali tries to curl his wings around his legs as well. It works mostly.

“That’s… nice of you to say. I doubt there’s much chance of that happening now though.”

Mipha tilts her head, still looking out at the sand dunes. “Not all things are set in stone.”

“What do you mean?”

Mipha sighs then, letting her head rest back against the clay wall, “I did not know if Link would return my affections. When… when I made my proposal suit for him: he did not know my intentions. I measured him. Talked to him often. You could say we grew up together…”

“You don’t say…”

“It’s embarrassing really. I was immature about it all. I was adjusted to Zora customs. Letting someone measure you is considered a hint at returning affection. I didn’t see anything wrong with how I was acting… Perhaps a little… a little creepy honestly.” A twinge goes through Revali’s heart.

Mipha frowns, “I regret not being more forward at the time. We obviously did not get to have a happily ever after like I had hoped… Nor do I think he would have wanted one had the option been available.”

 “He never thought of you as creepy, Mipha. He cares about you just as much as he ever has. Don’t feel like your feelings were considered in poor taste.”

“I suppose…”

They sit in silence for a moment. Absently, Mipha digs through her storage before pulling out a bottle. It’s different from her normal potion bottle, much taller, but she takes a swig of it all the same. Decisively, she sits the bottle down between them.

“…where did you-?”

“It was a gift.”

“Ah.”

“You can drink some if you’d like.”

Revali hovers his wing over the bottle before taking it by the neck. One swig, then another, and then he puts it back down between them. It doesn’t taste like anything.

The clouds above them move by slowly.

_The inn door had opened suddenly, revealing a tanned Hylian in a traditional Gerudo outfit. She could be a daughter of one of the Gerudo ladies with her red eyes and red hair. The moment she recognized Link, she dashed over to them. So girlishly charming to watch._

_The woman draped herself over Link’s shoulders like they were old friends. Link was open to her outgoing approach. Her red hair pulled free from where it was tucked behind her ear, casually falling across her shoulder to dangle between Link and her._

_Her face was light and playful. Link’s face went red, reacting to some string of words she whispered into his ear. And then she just… took him away._

_“He promised me a date! Don’t worry, I’ll bring your friend back in one piece... This time!”_

“Where did she even come from?” Revali asks, not particularly addressing Mipha. Rather intending for the question to hover in the air between them. Why didn’t he stop her?

Sitting for some time, they stay silent while they take their swigs out of the bottle. Once the moon gets high and the bottle gets half empty, Mipha puts it back into her storage. Then she rises slowly to her feet, and Revali follows her back into town for the night. These problems will have to be dealt with later.

For now, all they can do is rest up. Their duties still remain even if their hearts are heavy.  

The next day, Link wakes up the in the early morning. Someone is pulling the curtain back to his double bunk, so he reaches for the first sword he can reach in his storage. He has it half-unsheathed when a white halo forms around his oldest friend’s head. Mipha smiles down on him uncertainly.

Link sheathes his sword and puts it back into its slot while Mipha nudges her way into the bunk. Link scoots over a little so that she can sit propped up beside him. Then she slowly pulls the curtain back into place.

“You didn’t come to dinner,” she says as she settles in.

Link doesn’t say anything, rather just readjusts himself so that he’s facing Mipha more. His hands are out, ready to say something when he can figure out just what it is that he can say for himself.

“Nothing of too much import was said, so don’t worry over it. I’m more concerned about the events that occurred earlier. You snuck into Gerudo Town with that girl. I saw you two outside the barracks…”

Struck-feeling, Link stills completely. Mipha’s eyes dart to and from him to a glimmer that catches her eyes over his shoulder. Link remembers, too late, that his outfit is still out in plain sight.

“She’s cute. I sort of wish you would have brought her to dinner. We would have loved to meet the girl that caught your interest like that.”

Heat rises in Link’s face and he tells her to ‘stop’ a few times over in sign.

Mipha’s brow crinkles. She lifts her hands in response, “What is it?” Link doesn’t think it’s fair that she would be more fluent in sign than he is at this point. If finding the Domain was her floodgate to hidden knowledge like this, then when would his come around?

One problem at a time.

“Incorrect Intel,” Link signs simply before dropping his hands with no more explanation to give.

Mipha pushes though. She continues signing, “Then you were just letting off steam?”

Link squints his eyes and Mipha goes through the signs again slowly.

“Hot air?” Link asks, complexed.

“Nevermind…”

Link flops back into the bunk with a sigh. “She was just showing me the town. Had some clothes that were my size… We didn’t want to get caught.”

“I’m sorry…”

Link gives a loud groan. “No, it’s not your fault! Nothing is. We were hiding so that I could change. I was changing when you all came down. She just kissed me to hide what we were doing…”

“Wait…” Mipha says, leaning so that she sits straight up and over Link, “So you weren’t with her… The kiss was a cover-up?”

“Yes! We’re friends and Vilia’s cool, but I’m not interested in girls.”

Mipha blinks. “You’ve said before… It was just so easy to assume that perhaps… you had changed your mind.”

Link holds his hand out above him, signing, “My fault.”

“No…” Mipha says and reaches to hold his hands lightly in her own, “We all assumed… Well you did still sneak into Gerudo Town. That deserves some reprimanding.” She gives him a meaningful look and Link looks away abashedly.

“Still… No one is mad about… Her name is Vilia?” Link nods his head. “No one was mad. You are only a person, and deserve to be happy. Especially with everything you have to deal with…

“We were just surprised is all. And I believe Urbosa was a bit upset for my sake. But trust me! I’m over… Well I’m over my old feelings. I just want to save Princess Zelda now… It feels like we can never go fast enough. I know we can’t overwork ourselves, but the idea… the idea is tempting isn’t it?”

Focusing on Link, Mipha notices that Link looks a bit at a loss.

“Is that how you’ll explain it to the others?” she asks him gently. She squeezes his hands and he squeezes back. Then Link shrugs his shoulders. What other choice did he have? Mipha saw them…

This is going to get Vilia kicked out of Gerudo Town, he remembers. Right. Mipha knows and they’ll end up telling Urbosa then… This is going to get Vilia banned from Gerudo Town and there’s nothing Link can do to stop that. Tears start to form along the edges of his eyes at the thought. Even if Mipha understands, this is still such a mess.

“Oh! What is it, Link? Did I say something wrong?”

Pulling his hands away, Link rubs his eyes while shaking his head. “Vilia… Urbosa won’t be happy that Vilia helped me get into town…”

“Oh…” Mipha says, lowering her hands to rest in her lap, “I… I doubt Urbosa will be harsh. That isn’t the kind of person she is…” Her voice wavers though. Mipha doesn’t have a clue of where Urbosa would have to stand on this matter.

Mipha’s eyes land back on the Gerudo Outfit and a determination sets over her face. “I have an idea. I don’t guarantee that it will work, but it’s the only thing that I can think of to put an end to all of this.” Not sure what else he can do, Link agrees to go along with whatever she says.

It can’t possibly get worse than this anyway.

Alas, as he started climbing the stairs for the palace, Link realizes that this is much worse than anticipated. To his right, Mipha is seemingly smirking to herself, pleased with her plan. To his left, Vilia is looking down at the ground with a crease between her brows. Between them, Link is wearing his Gerudo Outfit, feeling more exposed than the first time he put it on. The time he bought this dreaded outfit feels like a lifetime ago, filled with regrets and mistakes.

Why didn’t he consider that buying all these colorful patterns might predestine Urbosa getting to see him in said patterns? He wishes Mipha would just let him die.

Predictably, Urbosa is leaning against the throne when they enter. Chief Riju looks up at their arrival and Urbosa follows suit. Her eyes recognize Mipha instantly, but narrow when they run over Link and Vilia. Rushing ahead, Mipha goes to Urbosa before the Gerudo can become too critical.

Link and Vilia stop awkwardly and watch from afar as Mipha talks patiently with Urbosa. Then Urbosa stands to her full height and starts strutting off to a different part of the palace off to the left. Mipha walks briskly after her, motioning for Link and Vilia to follow her.

Confusingly, this area that they are having their conversation in is designated to a sandseal with a bow in their hair. Link and Vilia enter just in time for them to see Urbosa telling the guard here to scram. With a nervous jolt, the guard rushes out in record time.

“So,” Urbosa says as she turns on her new heels, “There isn’t any new flame? A pity. We Champions haven’t been getting any good gossip to jap about it in awhile. A shame of you, really Link, to take that so eagerly from us.”  

Urbosa’s eyes then trail up and down Link’s body, making him regret every decision he’s ever made. Ever. “This is a good look for you. A special occasion?”

Mipha smiles, “He wore it to sneak into town yesterday.”

Urbosa’s eyebrows raise. “He did? Before we bent the rules for him?”

Mipha and Link nod.

“How do you fit into this then?” Urbosa asks Vilia then, making Vilia freeze.

“I… Well I… I took Link into town… And you know, I _knew_ , but I… Anyway, Link didn’t want his friends, you guys, to see him like this. So we dipped into the shrine… Then someone was coming down. Neither of us knew what to do. I just… We were just trying not to get caught mid-change.”

Vilia then kneels, declaring, “I promise, I’ll never help another man enter Gerudo Town.” 

Link steps up shyly, catching Urbosa’s attention as he draws closer. Slowly, he pulls the veil away to let it hand loosely by his face. “Let me take her punishment, please Urbosa. Vilia’s my friend. She doesn’t deserve the blame for this.”

Urbosa studies Link for a moment before addressing Mipha, “You had something in mind? You said you had made an agreement with Link.”

Mipha smirks then. “Yes, I thought, perhaps if he enjoys the outfit so much, then he should have to wear it whenever he’s in town then from here on. As for Vilia, I don’t see why you couldn’t let this one instance slide… I’m sure Link wouldn’t have befriended her if he thought her to be harmful in any way.”

Nodding, Urbosa adds, “I like your idea for Link. That would teach you for taking such liberties with our culture,” Urbosa stares Link down until he averts his eyes.

Urbosa continues, “But we cannot just let Vilia go free. Be the soldiers’ packseal for two fortnights, miss. Then if you are seen escorting any more men into town or have any connection to said men, be sure there will be questions to be answered. This is a light sentence on both of you, by general Gerudo law standards. Be grateful.”

Link’s shoulders sag in relief and Urbosa ushers Vilia off to go talk to Buliara about her new assignment.

“That went pretty well,” Mipha says gently. Link nods in agreement. “So. We still need to go pick up Daruk. And,” Mipha pats the fabric draped over Link’s arm, “We will want Revali to see this punishment of yours as soon as possible. Wouldn’t want you to think you’re getting off easy…” Link sticks his tongue out at Mipha, making her giggle. “Such a child.”

She pinches his cheek teasingly, which he shakes out of and smoothly dodges any more attempts while reattaching his veil. With a lighter hop in their step, they head over to the inn where Revali is probably still sleeping. Never the early bird.

As they go back through the palace, Chief Riju gives them a curious wave. By her side, Urbosa is standing with Vilia as they talk to Buliara. Surely the Chief is catching up on the latest gossip. Link’s face feels warm as he waves back.

Slowly they work their way to the inn and Link can feel his stomach churning. He’s so hungry. Mipha smiles when she hears his stomach growl. “We should eat before we go. I’ll show you to Revali’s bunk and then I’ll go make some breakfast while you two talk. Meet me over by the cooking pots then.”

Link nods and Mipha leads him into the inn, ignoring the scrutinizing look of the innkeeper. Mipha puts her hand along the clay frame of one of the bunks. She heads back out again, barely giving him a parting glance. Well. If he has to.

Unhooking the veil again, Link kneels down onto the balls of his feet. He reaches for the curtain and peels it back carefully. Just in case Mipha remembered the wrong bunk. These bunks are nicer than the Kara Kara Baazar ones with actual mattresses and less dust. The inside of the bunk is almost pitch black despite how bright it already is outside.

Though mostly too dark to see, the outline of a yellow beak is just visible. A groan comes from inside the bunk and Revali rolls to face away from the light.

“Ten more minutes…” Revali groans as he stretches.

“It’s me,” Link whispers, “Mipha’s making breakfast. And I’m getting punished. She wanted you to see because she hates me.”  

Confused, Revali rolls over to squint over in Link’s general location. “What are you on about? What about your crimes for waking me up at ungodly hours? Do I get no justice?”

Link gives a light laugh and Revali’s eyesight slowly adjusts. What was once a blurry mass of blue, turns into a crisp image of a Hylian woman in Gerudo attire. Except that woman has Link’s face and voice. What in the world.

“Link? What are you wearing?” Revali asks as he squints more at Link. Maybe he’s still dreaming. Revali rubs at his eyes just in case he still has sleep in his eyes.

With a flourish, Link gestures to his latest outfit, “Punishment.” There’s an uncertain smile on his face, accompanied by a light blush.

Finally, Revali can’t stop himself from a chuckle, which he represses as soon as he starts. “And why- Ha. Why is _this_ your punishment? What more have you done but go necking in a shrine?” Revali’s eyes widen then, a teasing glint there. Inside though, he feels the beginning of some early anxiety. “You didn’t do more than go necking in a shrine did you? You know that place reeked of decay, I don’t even know how-“

Link leans forward to close Revali’s beak by clacking it shut with both of his hands. “You talk too much.”

Heats blooms through Revali’s whole face and down into his chest where it spreads with unsettling speed. He doesn’t move a fraction.

“It isn’t like that,” Link starts, keeping his hands cupped around Revali’s beak. “That girl. She helped me sneak into town by giving me this outfit. I… I fell asleep in town. Then it was late, so we were rushing back. I had to get changed and Vilia kissed me to hide the fact that I was changing out of these… women’s clothes.

“I’m not with her. I just wanted to get into town. It’s all my fault.”

Link gives Revali an appraising look as Revali digests the news. Slowly, Link lifts his hands away from Revali’s beak, but Revali immediately goes to talk so Link puts his hands back into place.

“To be clear,” Link says while smiling, “Girls have cooties. I wouldn’t want to kiss one normally. And I am so hungry, so I’m going to go eat with Mipha. We are not talking anymore about this. And I’m not talking anymore today. The talking is done. No more.”

Link releases Revali’s beak as he hops back away from the bunk. Feeling a magnet pull, Revali pushes the blanket away so that he can sit up and lean Link’s way. Cheekily, Link tucks his smile away behind his veil. Okay, that’s too cute.

With a grin, Revali goads, “So there’s no new romance? No juicy secrets to giggle about? Our Legendary Hero, still as pure as white snow?” The tips of Link’s ears go pink. He’s too easy to tease.  “You’re going to fill the Gerudo streets with sobbing women at this pace.”

Link rolls his eyes dramatically, shaking his head. His ears are still red.

_“Not all things are set in stone.”_

_“I regret not being more forward at the time. We obviously did not get to have a happily ever after like I had hoped… Nor do I think he would have wanted one had the option been available.”_

Any day could be their last.

“Hey, Link…” Revali asks, his voice suddenly softer. It scares himself with how gentle it comes out.

Link’s brow creases and he nods.

“Are… Is there…” Any wind that had suddenly been in Revali’s sails fail him. “Do you think there’s a chance that Mipha could be cooking some omelets? I like the way she does them.”

Link shrugs, then points at the exit questioningly. Yeah, no better way to find out then to go. Revali nods and Link heads out. It feels like there’s weight rested on Revali’s chest. He almost… He doesn’t know what he almost did. But it was too scary.

The Rito lays back on his bed, legs still splayed over the side. Link wasn’t with anyone. He was just doing something reckless, like he always does. Just being his scary regular self. Maybe he should take this as a warning sign. A gift from Hylia.

A lesson that if he doesn’t act on his feelings soon, someone else might beat him to it. Revali bolsters himself at that. He can’t let himself end up like Mipha had. He has to do better. In fact… Revali has to be the best he can be.

With such a long list of achievements from his old and new life, how hard could wooing the Legendary Hero be?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Conflict? Resolved. Continuing walk-through of the actual game? On the way. Actual romance plot about the main relationship of the story? Started. 
> 
> We're at a turning point lads! Anyone who actually wanted some Revalink, be prepared!   
> And the other people who just want to see the dorks being dorks... Well now they're dorks with actual romance problems. I apologize for the inconvenience. 
> 
> Next chapter comes out on the 30th! Halloween special! (Actually probably not, but we can pretend.)
> 
> PS for anyone annoyed by Link's lack of Sign Language knowledge.   
> There are memories associated with this like Mipha had. We just... aren't at the place yet.   
> I am also frustrated with this, but we're gonna get his SL memory-pack updated soon! Yah~ ^^"
> 
> So I'll see you wonderful people next week! Have a spooky weekend | ◯ ‸ ◯ |


	27. Hateno

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That feeling when you can't name a chapter after just one location at the beginning, but don't want to name it after the first location even though it is just as prevalent as the others... Just because it's barely mentioned at first? I barely understand how I name these chapters either, don't worry reader. You're not going crazy, I'm just really bad at naming the chapter :')

A plan for the day is made over breakfast when everyone finally gathers, sans Urbosa. Who seems to be too busy with Gerudo business to bother giving them the time this morning.

It’s decided that they’ll surprise Urbosa by going to get Daruk today. And maybe they can harass Director Purah into some prototypes for their Slate upgrades while they’re out and about.

These agreements are what lead Link, Revali, and Mipha into a slew of teleportations. First to Zora’s Domain to gather resources. Then to drop Mipha off at Hateno Village. Then again to pick Daruk up. Then back to check up on Mipha. All the traveling gives Link a chance to wear something he’s more comfortable in, but in turn, it also gives the Champions more time overall to become better acquainted with fast travel.

It’s impressive really that no one vomited during all their quick trips. Not even once.

Once the boys are back at the Hateno Tech Lab, they hustle into the building to find Mipha and Purah at the work table. A lot of the Guardian parts are strewn about and the Director’s scribbling away furiously at her notes. She looks up though when she feels Daruk’s heavy footsteps vibrate the place.

“Oh, hey there, big guy!” She greets friendly enough, but then returns to her scribbling.

Mipha leans towards the other Champions, saying, “We have most of the resources and rupees to start on at least one of these pocket watches,” Mipha picks up a sizable watch that is obviously Zora made, “Well need more Giant Ancient Cores in the long run, but Director Purah says she’ll start with one for now.”

“And what is the watch for?” Daruk asks, this being the first time he’s heard of this project.

Revali answers, “It’s so that we can contact each other even when far away. A brilliant idea on Mipha’s half really, to bring this problem up to the Director.” Mipha blushes at the praise.

“Amazing!” Daruk says, instantly getting pumped, “This could really help us loads when we have to cover more ground. So where do we go to get Giant Ancient Cores then?”

Director Purah tuts, “Not so loud. But to answer, these big boy cores are normally only left in the active Guardians that are in a lot of no-no locations. That’s why they’re hard to find, snap!”

“So we’ll have to go to somewhere pretty dangerous, like the Akkala Tower or Hyrule Fields, to find one…” Mipha says in a dejected tone.

Revali ruffles. “It can’t be that hard. We’re Champions after all, what are a few measly Guardians in the grand scheme of things?”

“Snap!”

“But may I suggest-“ Symin interrupts, closing his book to walk over to the table, “There are some traders that may have this material on hand. You might want to consider taking the time to go to places like Lurelin Village or perhaps even just a stable up in the farther northern reaches like Akkala. It could save you time in the long run.”

Link perks up at the mention of Lurelin Village. A mute village was the way Vilia described it and it’s been a place he’s been meaning to visit ever since. Revali picks up on Link’s sudden interest immediately.

Revali shifts his weight before asking, “And where would Lurelin Village be located at?”

“Don’t let Symin get your goat,” Purah tuts, “Lurelin Village is a small fishing town south-west of here. It’s pretty far if you take the roads.”

Symin sighs, “She’s right. Lurelin is as twice as far away as Kakariko. I still hold my point that it may be worth the trip though.” Slowly, Symin slips away from the table then, bringing his book back up to his face.

“That Symin…” Purah shakes her head in disdain, “Unless someone magically reels in a Giant Ancient Core, I doubt you’ll be able to find it there…”

With that in mind, Revali agrees, but Link’s interest doesn’t seem to fade.

“We can consult Urbosa then,” Mipha suggests, already getting up.

A smile rises to Daruk’s eyes. “Let’s do that. Besides her Beast has to be our priority.”

Mipha frowns, but doesn’t say anything. Purah makes grabby hands for the Sheikah Slate and Link hands it over with no complaint. Then they are shooed out of the lab, being called ‘too noisy’ to be allowed to stay. Slowly, the four of them amble down to the village.

Mipha guilds Daruk with her fins wrapped around one his forearms. She wants to show him the neat dye shop in town.

Meanwhile, Link and Revali walk behind them. Out of the corner of his eye, Revali watches as Link glares at the ground. Obviously lost in thought. It’s an eerily familiar look on the young Hylian’s face, but Revali can’t really place it.

Instead, Revali decides to be nosey.

“So what’s in Lurelin Village?” Link doesn’t answer him, instead continuing to glare at the ground. The thick skull. “Link? Sir Link are you there?” This makes Link’s brow furrow and he looks up at Revali like he’s grown a second head.

“Oh, so now you only answer to a formal title now? Typical,” Revali huffs, their trip down the hill almost complete. Link’s attention caught, Revali continues, “ _Anyway,_ I was asking what exactly it is about Lurelin Village that made you light up like a Gerudo lamp. That is, if you’re actually planning on participating in this conversation at any point today.”

Link rolls his eyes and shrugs. “Didn’t light up. Just want to visit there sometime.”

“ _Sure_ ,” Revali agrees sarcastically, “You just always have that appealing glow-“ Revali catches Mipha looking back at him and his beak snaps shut.

Meanwhile, Link doesn’t even notice. “Vilia mentioned it. She made it sound like somewhere to visit. That’s all.”

Mipha and Daruk stop at the dye shop and Daruk teeters in with wide eyes. Link follows in slowly, giving Mipha time to hold Revali back and bring him back to the middle of the road.

She watches Daruk and Link admire the baubles in the shop before she starts talking to Revali in a hushed tone. “You’re going to tell him then? Right? About how you feel. Or have you already told him?”

Revali glares at her half-heartedly. “Who says I will? I still have half a mind to wait until after the final battle.” Mipha looks unimpressed. Revali sighs, “It’s not been half a day, give me some wing room here.”

“You know,” Mipha starts likes she’s picking him up on her latest sales pitch, “There’s a wonderful beach I’ve seen is nearby. It would be an amazing place to talk about your feelings and what not. Absolutely beautiful-“

“Is it really?”

“I don’t really know,” Mipha admits, “But he probably doesn’t know either and that is good enough reason to go check it out. Me and Daruk can come get you after we pick up the Sheikah Slate and pocket watch prototype.”

“But what if-“ Mipha is watching him patiently, not even unkind in her earnest care for what he has to say. Revali shuts up. Being a coward isn’t going to get him anywhere and they have the time right now to get this out of the way.

So instead, Revali calls for Link from the shops open front. Link looks up, several vials in his grubby hands and several hot-footed frogs about ready to burst from his arms. “Well finish whatever you’re doing first, then come out!”

Revali and Mipha watch from outside as the store owner rushes Link up onto his strange wooden stage. At some point he had changed into his Sheikah outfit? Anyway, it doesn’t matter because the store owner lets out a maniacal laugh and shoves a lever. Link falls through the hinged floor along with his armful of frogs. They all end up in the large cauldron underneath much to the joy of everyone watching.

Link later comes out, drenched in green dye. His hair is thick with the stuff and he’s encouraged to let his newly died clothes dry while taking a quick dip in the river out back. Everyone waits while Link rearranges himself and then comes back wearing his Hylian gear. His hair still has a tint of green to it and Revali makes sure to pick on him about it immediately.

Link shoves him for his great sense of humor and Revali knows Link’s laughing on the inside. Then Mipha is giving him a meaningful look before tugging Daruk off farther down to look at the rest of the village.

Link goes to follow them, but Revali catches him around the chest, turning him back the way they came. He ushers the Hylian along, his sales pitch a hair less convincing than Mipha’s. “Wah-Wait wait, why don’t we-? Go check out the beach? I’ve heard there’s a- Just a lot of neat stuff out there. Come on, let’s go.”

Confused, Link lets Revali push him along the path back towards the beach. He tries not to let the continued presence of Revali’s wing bother him. Since they have to back track almost all the way back up the hill towards the lab, it’s a long trek. One that Revali determinedly didn’t want to fill with chatter. Still, he basically pushes Link the whole way there.

Hateno Beach apparently has lots to offer. Like sand. And monsters hanging around their own little campfire nearby. And more sand. Link gives Revali a smile while reaching for his latest sword. Revali sighs. He guesses they’ll have to do this first. Just to get it out of the way.

They work through the monsters methodically, Revali sniping several in a row before Link swoops in to deliver swift final blows. It’s good work for target prioritization and it makes Revali’s chest not feel so tight over what he’d have to do next. When the last monster falls, Revali actually regrets shooting the unfortunate creature.

Quickly, Revali comes up to the campsite, picking up his half of the monster parts. Link’s had his already picked up and is taking to looking out over the sea beyond them.

“Nice view…” Link comments, and Revali agrees: it’s nice enough. It makes his beak twitch then when he gets a cheeky idea.

“Yeah, I suppose the view is nice. But not as nice as this one,” Revali retorts, looking plainly at Link.

Link pauses, turning to Revali while taking that statement in. His face twists into an amused quirk. Link looks at Revali, plainly looking at him, and then back out to the beach. He pulls out a finger to point at Revali then out to the beach. “It’s… It’s the same view.”

Revali’s heart is pounding. He can’t be for real.

Link continues to look at Revali, barely containing an awkward laugh, his finger still extended. “We’re seeing the same thing right? Beach? Lots of sand?” He looks so gosh darn confused and Revali can’t help finding that just incredibly cute.

Revali laughs in relief and closes the distance so that he can tug Link into his chest. Link smiles awkwardly into his friend’s chest, still not getting the point. “Link,” Revali hoots quietly, patting Link’s dyed head, “You cease to amaze me…”

Pulling back, Link smiles up at Revali, still obviously confused. “Was it a joke? Revali?”

Torn, Revali keeps patting Link’s head. He’s fighting with his internal advisor, Mipha, before answering, “Yes, but it’s okay if you don’t get it. It’s a Rito joke.”

“Oh,” Link says, letting his head droop back into Revali’s chest. It’s a nice chest. And the patting feels nice too. Damn their cultural differences for making him look like an idiot.

Revali gives Link a few final pats before letting him go so that they can go back to enjoying the beach. This is going to be harder than Revali had first thought.

They walk up and down the beach for awhile. The sun growing higher and higher as the hours pass. Eventually they get tired and take a seat out closer to the trail, waiting patiently for Daruk and Mipha.

Revali has been staring at Link in conservative intervals, uncertain how to proceed. Maybe he should have just explained himself earlier..? That sounds like it would have been easier.

The next time Revali turns his head to look at Link again, Link’s already staring back at him. The Hylian’s face goes a slight pink and he quickly averts his gaze out to the sea. Obviously Revali has to take the opportunity to tease.

“What, am I not favorable in a frontal view? Should I turn my head again so that you can continue marveling at my avian profile?” He asks as he turns his head back out to the sea, wings framing his face charmingly, “I have heard before from many famous painters that it is the favored angle for when they have Rito as their subject matter. It better captures our likeness, you see.” Link groans, his face turning a delicate shade pinker before he covers it with both hands. It makes Revali’s chest feel full.

Mipha and Daruk only come after Link and Revali decide to take an early lunch. Leftover skewers from who knows when are in both of their hands when the other two Champions finally find their way to the beach.

Link and Revali turn when Daruk calls to them, boisterous voice easily recognizable. Beside him, Mipha holds up the sizable pocket watch and Sheikah Slate, an excited grin plastered over her face.

“It even activates Guidance Stones!” Daruk calls as they get closer, “Amazing right?!”

The two of them work quickly over their lunch then, finishing up so that they can all go show Urbosa the progress they’ve made today. The sun is already past its highest point, just thinking about setting off into the west.

The traveling group teleport to the shrine just outside Gerudo Town, and Link waves at the rest of them as they all head on along. He still has to get changed again, so he dips back into the smelly shrine. Quickly, he sorts out his outfits and throws his Gerudo outfit on. Then Link rushes to catch up with the other Champions at the palace.

Up by the Chief’s throne, Urbosa is talking excitedly with Daruk while everyone else in the room watches on. Urbosa looks to Link went he walks on in and a smile creeps up on her face. Daruk turns to where Urbosa’s attention was drawn and he lets out a surprised laugh.

“Link! What a stunning outfit, I almost didn’t recognize you!”

Urbosa smirks, “It is his punishment so laugh plenty. He isn’t to enter Gerudo Town again without.”

Daruk gives Link a mischievous smile then. “You have to tell me more during a quieter time. With a look like that, there has to be an interesting story.” This gives everyone else besides Daruk and Link a chuckle. Daruk looks up keenly at the others reactions.

“An interesting story indeed,” Urbosa agrees.

The rest of the late morning is spent exchanging information on the new rune and watch set, resources they could potentially tap to obtain more Giant Ancient Cores, and shrines that could be located locally. The group finds themselves resting easily on the ground by the Chief’s throne, laying haphazardly on various cushions and throws. The whole while though, Chief Riju carries a stern face, waiting patiently.

When she finds her opening, the Chief speaks up, “These progressions towards freeing Princess Zelda are wonderful news, of course. But perhaps we could speak on our plans against Vah Naboris?”

“Yes, we should be able to take action now post haste,” Urbosa assures, earning a frown from Mipha.

However, Daruk brings up Mipha’s concerns before Mipha herself has to. “What about your injury, Urbosa? Surely you can’t board the Divine Beast just yet.”

Urbosa looks to argue, but Revali beats her to it. “No, Daruk is right. I’m sure Mipha would agree, if we can put off aggravating your wounds, the sooner you will actually be back to full commission.” Mipha nods in solidarity.

Scandalized, Urbosa looks around at the group. “I was perfectly fine for the Yiga mission.”

“That was different, O-sea. Please don’t argue that point,” Mipha says quietly.

“And how-?”

Daruk settles his shoulders back. “Urbosa. It has not even been a week. Let alone the minimum of a month Mipha suggested you should take. Can you even wield a sword currently?”

Urbosa grimaces. “I can be ambidextrous.”

Chief Riju’s brow crinkles and Buliara speaks up for her. “Champion Urbosa, please listen to your fellow Champions. They only speak for your well-being. If time is needed, we can keep a close watch on the Divine Beast Vah Naboris. An evacuation of the town can be mandated if need be. Do not hurt yourself further by being reckless, for our sakes.”

Cringing, Urbosa sighs, “Buliara…”

“Does this mean we prioritize Vah Medoh then?” Revali asks, “We could take a smaller party. Maybe just Link, Mipha, and myself? Since I don’t see how we can take Daruk up there anyway.” 

“I could teleport there once you open the portal,” Daruk says defensively. Revali frowns back.

“Perhaps,” Mipha interrupts, “A break is what would be best. For all of us. We could all do with restoring our strength for the next fight.” Link fidgets uncertainly. “We could look for these ancient parts and even take a swing by Rito Village if that would suit you, Revali. To check on the situation there.”

“I would appreciate that...”

Urbosa stops them, though. “What if Naboris closes in on Gerudo Town? We can’t all just leave.”

“The scouting party can be limited to just me and Link then,” Revali blurts without thinking, making everyone freeze.

With a newly concerned expression, Mipha injects, “That sounds… Are you sure…?”

Link, however, nods eagerly, happy crinkles forming around his eyes. It makes Revali feel better since volunteering him like that wasn’t exactly agreed on. Mipha is studying them with her concern still showing plainly.

“We have this messenger now… Though you cannot teleport with it correct?” Urbosa asks, looking to the pocket watch that Mipha had laid out in the middle of them all. A few heads nod in agreement.

Daruk interjects thoughtfully, “You two going out is a good thought. Taking the Sheikah Slate, you could hit up shrines you haven’t been to yet and teleport back here to base if we need help with the Beast. It’s much more productive than all of us sitting back here.”

The meeting wraps up soon after this settlement, though not without them all taking a crash course into the new interface of the pocket watch. Or as they agree to call it, the Sheikah Watch.

With plans roughly set up for the month, the Champions relax into the idea of an evening tour of the town.

Urbosa unsticks herself from Makeela’s side and joins the rest as they go out to explore. Most of them having only seen small parts of it, Urbosa leads the way. Many of the Gerudos’ heads turn when the five of them come walking down the long stairway.

Urbosa and Mipha take the lead, looking over the wares displayed to their right. Daruk follows closely behind. Link, however, wants to check out the arrow supply again, so he swerves the opposite way. Revali follows on Link’s heel.

“You again,” the store lady greets Link as they near her stall, “Pretty vai like you. Hard to imagine you have much use for my wares, but you’re here to buy more bunches aren’t you?”

Link’s ears turn red, this outfit truly does come with its downfalls! Hasn’t he been picked on enough today?

And of course, Revali has something to say. “Isn’t she beautiful though?” He teases, bumping Link lightly. “Though you’d be surprised, her aim is also just as impeccable as her appearance.” Revali’s got a smug look on his face now, and Link is pointedly ignoring it.

“Sounds like she’s shot at something more than game,” the store lady jokes, her eyes warm as she banters with Revali. Since Link isn’t watching anyway, Revali affords the stranger a wink, making her laugh outright. 

“I’ll take two of these!” Link mentions loudly, ears still red.

He reaches for his rupees, but the lady huffs, “You’re just going to let her pay for these herself? Not very gentlemanly.”

Link looks up at her in confusion, but Revali’s already pulling out the rupees. “You’re right, that would be in bad taste. Here, will this suffice?” Link’s eyes widen as he sees Revali’s wing extend to the store lady and he bats the offending wing away while extending his own rupees to the shopkeeper.

The store lady laughs as she takes Link’s rupees. “Proud one, I see. I understand. Just remember to let others take care of you occasionally. They obviously care.” She spares Revali another knowing look before he has to follow after where ever Link is now trudging off to.

Where he is trudging to happens to meet up with where the other three are, standing in front of the jewelry store. Link starts talking before Revali can even get into earshot. Asking about pooling their flint? For some reason? It’s weird, but Revali tunes it out, instead giving the other store fronts a better look. The mushrooms over there look pretty good honestly…

Mipha, Urbosa, and Link head on into the jewelry place, leaving Daruk and Revali to trudge around outside while waiting on them. When the other three come back then, Mipha’s wearing some new jewels she says are to help with the heat. Revali wouldn’t have blamed her though, had they been just for show. The blue stones look good against her maroon scales.

Link turns to Revali then, “When do you want to leave?”

“Anytime is fine. Really, sooner is probably better than later. Who knows when that Beast will stomp over this way…”

Urbosa rolls her eyes. “At least sleep the night here first.”

Link nods absently. Then surprisingly, when Mipha wonders out loud what else there is to do, Link suggests a bar on the west side of town. He takes the lead, Urbosa by his side.

Soon they’re heading towards the stairs to what Revali assumes is The Noble Canteen. It becomes a cluster, everyone having to funnel through the door into the smaller serving room. Revali finds himself barely being able to hear the bar options from behind Daruk’s broad back. Thankfully the three up front are quick to grab their drinks and head out into the sitting room. Leaving the space to just Daruk and Revali.

 “Here you go, sir. Make sure you don’t just gulp it down. I make it strong for you Goron folk,” The bartender patters before she then struggles to heft something like a small barrel up onto the counter. Daruk looks at the tankard dubiously.

“Right…” Daruk then picks the tankard up and heads out to find their friends.

“Age?”

Revali blinks and deadpans at the bartender, “I’m one of the five Champions. So older than you most likely.”

“I’m turning 146 next full moon, so try again. Age?”

Revali balks. “Well- Really? You were here before the Calamity?”

“The Calamity,” The bartender says in faux wonder, leaning her skinny elbow up on the counter, “Now there’s a pain in the ass I haven’t heard about in awhile. Yeah, I was around. Saw the signs. The life adjustments were… Rough…” She picks up a towel and rubs at the counter absently.

Weary, she smiles then at him. “So age? And the real one, not the inflated one you seem to think you’re entitled to.”

“Uh… 18?”

“Too young for my booze. Can I offer you some milk?” She’s already pulling out a pitcher from a storage section that’s teeming with cold air.

“How much…?” Revali asks as she pushes the tall glass his way.

The bartender shakes her head. “They’re on the house for you guys.”

“Thank you…”

Revali takes the glass out and finds his group lounging against a selection of pillows and stools. Daruk sits comfortably in the middle of it all.

“What if someone in town has the part? The Chief said there are a lot of researchers around that search for ancient information…” Mipha questions. Link nods his head uncertainly.

“I agree,” Daruk injects, “You guys would do well to at least try to exhaust Gerudo Town before heading out.”  

Revali settles down on the couch Mipha is relaxing against. “You think a Giant Ancient Core could be in town? What kind of person would just have that on hand?”

“The local researcher,” Mipha chimes, “The Chief recommended that we check in with her at some point. Especially in concerns with locating Urbosa’s specific shrines after Vah Naboris. But she could also be a helpful lead for an ancient part.”

“Right…” Revali admits, but then backtracks, “Can’t you guys pester her though? You’ll be here the whole time. What point is it if you just sit back? You guys can handle the local work surely.”

“Suggesting that I can be useful in this state, Revali?” Urbosa huffs sarcastically, making Revali smirk, “Who’d have thought you’d become my favorite. Suppose there is always room for growth in everyone.”

Revali preens, “What do you mean, dear friend. I have always been your favorite from Day One.”

Daruk takes on an offended look and turns to Urbosa. He asks her, sounding almost sincere, “I thought _I_ was your favorite, sister? Did so much change while I was gone?”

Petulantly, Mipha stirs her Noble Pursuit with her straw. Quietly she adds, “And here I thought O-sea liked me best…”

Urbosa looks around stupendously. “Who’d of thought you would all care so much…” Link catches her eye, and he bats his eyes at her back. “You too, Link? Oh what a pity that I only have a singular Gerudo-sized heart for you all…” She smiles widely and reaches out to hug all those closest to her.

For a moment, it all stays warm and fuzzy as they hug and then release so that they can relax again. Taking a sip of their drink of choice. Daruk’s tankard vibrates the floor slightly when he sets it back down again.

The evening passes quietly in The Noble Canteen. They catch Daruk up on the mishaps that occurred while he was away and Daruk berates Link for dating a woman just for her clothes. It brings about gentle laughter all around. Link lets it roll off his back. They’ll all move on eventually. The longer the day has gone by, the funnier the situation he was in yesterday gets.

Eventually, Daruk falls into a gentle sleep against Urbosa’s shoulder. The moon rises, bringing about a stealthy cold. Even inside the warm bar, Link feels his skin prickle. Falling back into their old ways, Revali wraps a wing around the Hylian protectively. It makes Link smile and he tucks his face into Revali’s downy feathers.

Urbosa, feeling a little lighter from her Noble Pursuit, gives Mipha a questioning look. Mipha nods, cutely exaggerated most likely from her own drink. It makes Urbosa smile and she gives Revali a lazy nod of respect. What, is there really nothing to talk about besides the nature of their private relationships?

Revali’s face heats and he ignores the two conspiring women as they snicker. Link sighs tiredly into his feathers, making the situation all the more embarrassing. There wasn’t anything in the milk right? Hylia have mercy…

Still in good spirits, Mipha and Urbosa slowly shuffle about, looking to get ready to leave. Urbosa shoves on Daruk lightly, waking him up so that she can move him over to the palace. Link looks up tiredly at the girls, and Revali doesn’t miss the wink Mipha sends his way before the three of them leave the bar.

Tired, having not slept well for the last three days, Link watches with bleary eyes. Nothing’s really registering with him anymore, so when Revali pushes him to his feet and shuffles them out of the bar, it seems only natural. Can’t stay in the bar all night long.

Though the nip of the cold Gerudo air bothers Link to no end. He leans further into his friend for warmth, finding it in the feathers that peak out from Revali’s tank top. Link giggles then, thinking about their earlier friend-status related bickering.

“You’re my favorite, you know? Favorite friend,” Link whispers, almost reverently.

Revali tilts his head down, still guiding Link along to some unknown destination. “What is it now?”

“You’re my warmest friend. So that makes you my _best_ friend,” Link emphasizes the point by digging his cold fingers into the inside of Revali’s one armhole. The cold contact startles Revali and instead of acting out, he holds the cold digits in place to warm them up. It’s a lot more intimate than what Link was going for, but he’ll take what he can get.

“Geez, you are cold. You’re staying with me tonight… I hope you don’t mind.” Link can only focus on the feeling of the down around his hands and anything Revali could have said at that moment slips through his mind like water through a drain pipe. Whatever happens, happens.

What happens is that Revali keeps his arm slung around a young vai in flimsy Gerudo attire as he proceeds back into his rented bunk in the Hotel Oasis. The nighttime innkeeper gives him a dark look, but keeps her piece of mind to herself.

Revali lets Link’s hands go then, to pull open the curtain to his bunk. Link blinks slowly, and Revali eases the Hylian into the bunk. Carefully, the Rito untucks the veil and scarf off from around Link’s face. He can’t help admiring how stunning Link looks in this moment. So darkly lit and intimate.

Link gets the point through his tired haze though, and he pulls away so that he can roll back into the bunk. His shoes fall off onto the floor to be picked up tomorrow. His body stretches out, pale and lengthy. His skin is starting to pin prickle again.

The bunk is smaller than the one at the Baazar. To be exact: a little over half as small. When Revali goes to lay into the bed, he has to lay on his side to try to fit. Link rolls to his side as well to let Revali have as much room as he needs. This is too much…

Slowly they work together until one of Revali’s wings is under Link’s head and another is wrapped around him like a blanket. Cozy, Link sighs contently as he drifts off easily. Revali wishes he could go to sleep so quickly and he stays up like this for way too long.

Should he feel guilty? This is much more than he should have so soon… And yet.

At least for tonight, it feels right. Revali lets his beak slide through Link’s loose, golden hair that splays around him like a halo. Just for tonight, Revali can let himself enjoy this much of Link. Just for tonight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise, it's fillery! Kinda. We start adventuring next week and having more memories and junk then. We just had to... Ya know. Get some other things sorted out first. Daruk's back! I refuse to sideline him anymore, the poor guy. We're letting Daruk hang out with his friends. It's been like half a year. He deserves this. 
> 
> But anyway, Happy Halloween! Hopefully the oblivious romancey stuff was cool!  
> I'll catch you all again next Tuesday! <3


	28. Wasteland

Link feels so cozy and completely different than how he had felt yesterday morning. Yesterday, he had been alone in a double bunk when Mipha had surprised him in the early hours. His head had been buzzing and his fingers were a little numb. That isn’t how he feels today.

Today, eyes still closed, Link stretches comfortably into the warmth that surrounds him. He feels entirely happy and groggy, being one of the first days in a while that Link’s been able to wake up on his own terms. His body wants to be awake, but it isn’t often than Link doesn’t have to immediately climb out of bed. The trip to Lurelin can wait two more minutes.

When Link lowers his arms back to where they were, he smiles faintly at the feeling of soft feathers. So soft. They tickle his bare sides, wrapping comfortably around his waist. He could pull out of their warmth easily, but why would he.

Link’s body has other plans though, so hesitantly Link blinks his eyes open. The light in here is dull and Link finds it kind of strange that he doesn’t exactly know where here is. Well, it isn’t too strange. Link knows he was near exhausted when he had laid his head down last night. It was Link’s choice to be wherever he is, and one he had made knowing that he’d be plenty safe enough to fall asleep as hard as he had. 

A soft groan comes from somewhere above Link’s head. It startles Link at first until a realization hits him. Feathers aren’t a commodity of the Gerudo hospitality. He’d only grown accustomed to them because of someone else…

“Are you awake?” The voice from earlier asks quietly, soothingly.

“Ah-“ Link coughs and nods, “Y-Yeah.”

“…sleep well?” Revali asks, still quiet. The Rito rolls his shoulder that he’s lying on, but otherwise stays wrapped around Link.

Link nods. Absently, he realizes that he can feel Revali’s beak resting on his head. “You..?” Is this what they do now? Link could have easily slept in a different bunk. Maybe the inn was full last night…

Revali’s beak rises, only to graze Link’s scalp as Revali threads it back through his hair. It sends a jolt through Link’s spine. Revali hums thoughtfully, “I slept well enough. How late is it, do you know?” When Link shakes his head, Revali pulls his wing away to part the curtain. Bright yellow light shines through and he drops the fabric like it’s molten hot. “Later than I thought…”

His wing drops back over Link’s waist lazily. Tired still apparently, Revali groans into Link’s hair, “Do we actually have to go to Lurelin? Why can’t we just stay here for however more weeks we have off…”

Link huffs, not thinking that’s how that would work out. Instead of gracing Revali’s complaint with any real reply, he starts pushing Revali away towards the edge of the bed. A pretty easy feat in all honesty. It’s enough to make Revali slip and almost fall off.

“Hey! Brat, and here I was nicely letting you stay with me…” Revali’s voice goes grumbly as he gets out of the bed, exposing them both to the bright sun again. Revali continues to complain as he picks up all of his things. Even going so far as to pick up Link’s scarf and veil for him. “Do you even have a clue as to where Lurelin Village could be?”

Link shrugs uncertainly as he applies the scarf over his bedhead. He has a lead, at least, they can work from there. They work through getting ready for the day and Revali gathers all his things for their trip.

Reluctantly, they diverge at the inn. Link goes to the cooking pots to prep food for their travels while Revali heads to the palace to inform their fellow Champions of their departure. Link is able to prep a few meals before Revali has everyone gathered at the communal pots.

When Urbosa bends down over the cooking pot to inspect his brew, Link speaks up, “Seen Vilia around?”

Urbosa’s eyebrows raise, but she answers evenly, “I did, she’s in the barracks currently. Planning to have one last hurrah with your girlfriend before you go?”

Link’s face goes pink and he gives Urbosa a sly look before shaking his head. It’ll take awhile before she finds something better to pick on him about.

The team stays huddled around the pot until Link’s done with the prep, and they split up while munching on some of the tender bits of hydromelon left over from the last meal prep. Urbosa and Mipha head over to the researcher’s home, Daruk goes to talk to some Gorons loitering around the main square, and Revali follows Link as he heads over to the barracks.

“Vilia knows where Lurelin Village is,” Link feels the need to explain, once him and Revali are virtually alone again.

“Oh,” Revali hums, perhaps uncaring over Link’s reasons. “So this is where your interest for the place stems…”

That’s a weird way to put it, but Link can’t deny that he has probably seemed overly invested in the journey.

They enter the barracks through the palace doorway and look out over the sea of guards. Each guard is dressed in the uniform of white and red, so spotting Vilia is actually a challenge right off the bat. However, she becomes more noticeable when Link realizes she is the only one polishing weapons in the far corner. Besides her shorter stature, she fits in amazingly with the rest of the Gerudo.

As Link and Revali approach her, Vilia takes a double take up from the spear she has spread across her lap. Her eyes then light with recognition and she gives them a friendly wave with her dirty rag. “Sa’votta! What brings you to my little corner of paradise?”

Link and Revali take to squatting next to and leaning against the wall respectively. Link then reaches down to pull out his Sheikah Slate so that he can pull up the map for Vilia.

Revali takes the opportunity to raise the subject. “We have a reason to believe something we need can be found in Lurelin Village. None of us know the way, however, so Link thought maybe you could point us in the right direction.” Vilia’s eyes squint happily upon hearing where they are heading to.

“Lurelin Village? Lots to find there for a little fishing town. Yeah, you aren’t actually from there huh?” Vilia addresses Link, “Where are you actually from? They say you Champions are from a time over a hundred years in the past. You’ll have to tell me more about what it was like back then.”

Link shrugs awkwardly and just holds the Slate out for Vilia to look at in response. Sadly, most of the map is still blank due to their sporadic trips across Hyrule.

“Odd…” Vilia states, leaning in closer to get a better look, “Ah, there is Hateno Village… Is this all of Hyrule that you can see on this gadget? The place where Lurelin is isn’t even shown…” She backs away from the Slate to give cursory looks to Link and Revali.

Revali responds curtly, “We have to go to each region to unlock their portion of the map. We have not happened up Lurelin Village so it would be logical to assume the village would be in a blacked out section of the map.”

“We can set a marker in the blank parts though. A rough guess will be good enough,” Link assures, tapping the map to show off the feature.

“Neat!” Vilia cheers, her eyes scanning the map again. Slowly, she hovers her finger over a blank part of the map. Then she makes a decisive tap, bringing up the marker tool. “That’s where I think it is, compared to Hateno. I hope that helps…” Vilia trails with an apologetic look.

Link brightens, nodding, and choses the blue marker before shuffling around the interface some more. He can hear Revali exchanging some pleasantries with Vilia for her help as Link pulls up the messaging rune. From here, he taps on the only other available device: Messenginator Watch 0.1. Mipha should rename it if she can, Link thinks as he taps it. It’ll be hard to tell who’s who if they all go based off numbers.

**SS 0.0: We got directions to the village. Heading out soon.**

“I need to go pray,” Link says abruptly, putting the Slate away for now, “Meet me at the front gates?”

Revali nods and both him and Link leave Vilia to her work.

The Slate vibrates as Link searches around for a Goddess Statue, so Link pulls it up as he stumbles around the town.

**MW 0.1: Great! Can we come say goodbye?**

**MW 0.1: Where are you?**

Link stops, looking around. He’d somehow ended up in some back-alley part of the place. To his right is a dead end, so he heads left. Where is he is a good question.

**SS 0.0: Praying. I’m meeting up with Revali out front.**

**MW 0.1: Okay. See you there.**

Link frowns as he stops in front of an older Gerudo lady. They were going to have to find a way to be less formal over these messages. The text here looks awfully… stuffy.

“They just let any voe in now, don’t they…” The old lady grumbles, making Link jump. Her gravelly voice chuckles softly as he Link juggles the Sheikah Slate before he’s able to put it away.

“Um…” Link lets out, unsure what to say. His eyes scan over her worn person to the Goddess Statue she happens to be sitting next to. “Sorry?”

“Don’t worry. I won’t tell…” The old lady says calmly, looking Link over.

“Right.” No point making a big deal out of explaining his position in all of the politics anyway. He’s just here to pray. “I… I’m just here to pray,” Link says as he kneels down in front of the statue. He can hear the lady grumbling in surprise, something about young people never bothering to visit the statue anymore. Being a relic of an older time, just like her.

Link doesn’t bother listening, as he’s preoccupied with the Goddess. Who tells him he doesn’t have enough orbs. Great. Okay. Guess he’ll just leave then. Good to know. Cool.

He waves politely at the older lady as he heads over to the front of town. It isn’t long until Link can see the hulking form of Daruk blocking out the view of anyone else that could be waiting there. Link taps politely on Daruk’s arm as he comes to the Goron’s side.

“There you are! All ready then?” Daruk basically bellows as Link works his way towards the center of the group. Revali can be found leaning against the town wall and he pushes himself off when Link shows himself.

“About time. Let’s go while there’s still some daylight.”

Quickly everyone says their goodbyes, a few hugs scattered between them all before Link pulls out the Sheikah Slate. The closest place to the marker appears to be in Hateno Village, but hadn’t Symin said it would take twice the time it takes to travel to Kakariko? They could potentially cross the distance over the mountains, Link figures. Link’s finger hovers over the large blank expanses over the bottom of the map.

“What is it?” Revali asks, leaning over Link’s shoulder to get a look of the map. “Can’t decide where to go to? Why not take us to Hateno Tower? Then we can fly over the mountains down into whatever little place this village is carved into…”

Mind made up, Link taps the Hateno Tower icon. Revali wraps a wing around one of Link’s arms and they both offer one last parting wave to the other Champions before they teleport away. Once on the tower, Link takes a moment to change out of his Gerudo attire for something a bit warmer: a pleasing mix of his Hylian pants and hood plus his Sheikah shirt. Then he checks the beacon on the Sheikah Slate. He points them south and soon him and Revali are jumping off towards their new destination.

It’s a pretty straight forward journey, only the briefest of moments are granted so that Link could catch his breath. Revali waits patiently each time. A grateful change of pace from his normal teasing.

During one of these brakes, they encounter a surprising number of Hinox who are slumbering along the mountain range. There’s a passing thought to just leave them where they are, out of the way of any sane traveler, but something catches Revali’s eye as they fly over the south-most Hinox.

Revali takes an early landing, hiding himself from any monsters behind a large bolder. Following Revali’s lead, Link takes a wide turn before he comes to land not far from where Revali is hiding.

When Link comes to kneel next to Revali’s hiding spot, Revali speaks to Link in a hushed tone, “You might not have seen it, but that monster has one of those… spheres that the shrines use. Those glowing orange balls?” Link nods in understanding.

“Where would it go though…?” Revali asks then, his head looking around. To the north-west is a slight plateau and Revali seems to have the same idea that Link has. “We’ll try this then? Just to see…”

Link nods and the pair of Champions set about taking down one of the Hinoxes. For science.

There are Bokoblins also in the immediate area, but they provide only a minor distraction. With Revali keeping up an aerial assist, Link is able to slice through many of the monsters in one swipe. He then backs his footing when faced with the Hinox and pulls out a bow of his own. Together, Revali and him barrage arrows into the monster until he falls. The bounty he drops leaves much to be desired.

“Toenails? This is disgusting…” Revali says in an irked voice. Link, however, greedily picks up the monsters parts. At the very least they’ll fetch a good price with the traders. How often do travelers trade Hinox goods anyway?

The pair of Champions continue their detour, taking the glowing orb up onto the plateau. Revali takes a quick aerial scout before showing Link the way to where the orbs are most likely supposed to go. A slate by the three orb pedestals suggests that they must have slain one of the three giant brothers along this mountain range.

“I believe I saw the Eldest Kin further in the middle of the plateau. Should we leave him for last? The Youngest one must have been the first Hinox we saw along the way here.”

Link goes along with Revali’s plan, having not much care in the order of things. By the time they slay both the Youngest and the Eldest Kin, along with their assortment of henchman, the midday sunlight is already starting to wane.

Tawa Jinn Shrine rises proudly before them in the late afternoon sun. Inside is a simple blessing: a Great Thunderblade. Roughly the same height as Link himself, Revali marvels as Link slings the weapon easily onto his back. They take Tawa Jinn’s spirit orb then and leave the dusty mummy to enjoy their rest.

It takes one more hop before another shrine is in view. They’re closing in on the beacon, so Link is hoping they’ll be able enter the village before nightfall. Link lands gently by the edge of the hilltop that the shrine stands on. Over the edge, a sprawling village filled with bustling Hylians waits for them.

It feels eerily familiar. Link squints out along the horizon, but he can’t get a good idea of why he would remember this place. Just another footnote in Link’s endless list of forgotten memories that he can’t seem to get a grasp of.

Revali walks up behind Link. “We’ll be doing this one too, correct?” Link nods, still looking out along the village. Slowly, he walks away from the edge and tears his eyes off the scenery.

This shrine, Yah Rin, holds some interesting challenges. To save time, Revali helps Link with the huge scales that are laid about. They’re set up as strange elevators, and the redistribution of the weights help Link climb up through the shrine. During the process they encounter a Guardian Scout and a couple of treasure chests. This time Revali gets to keep the sword, a thank you for helping so much with these trials that are meant to be Link’s alone.

Revali inspects the opal from the second chest as they successfully complete the transaction with the monk. They are transported outside, finally able to investigate this quiet village they’ve heard so much about.

Link walks down from the hill carefully, Revali following him a few paces behind. The opal still in his one wing. Not much time has passed outside, but it’s enough to cast long shadows across the village below. There aren’t quite as many people outside as there had been earlier.

The village has a style different from anything Link has seen so far. These people live in huts, supported in the sand by palm trees that must keep the huts stable even during big storms. The smell of fish and salt is strong, but there’s also a fresh breeze that keeps it all from feeling too stifling. All in all, it provides something that feels as safe as Hateno Village had, but also inherently different. Welcomingly so.

Their first stop is at the store in town. The local seller has her wares out on a small dock just off to the right of most of the village. She seems to be moving her stock as they approach. Link touches her shoulder when they get close enough, and the seller looks up at them with a tired smile.

“I’ll be closing soon, but feel free to grab up whatever I still have out. The fish is fresh!”

Revali takes her up on this offer, while Link stays by the seller’s side as she moves her crates around. Best not to waste her evening hours, so Link cuts to the chase, “We’re looking for Giant Ancient Cores. Would you happen to know any traders with that in stock?”

“Giant-!” The lady gasps and she sets her crate down heavily on the top of a pile beside her. “Giant Ancient Cores? You do know how rare those are right?” Link nods shyly, feeling sort of silly. But he had to ask.

“So you wouldn’t know anyone in town that would possess one?” Revali asks, coming up behind Link to join the conversation.

The trader shakes her head in disbelief as a voice calls from behind, “Mubs! What’s for dinner tonight?”

A dark, old Hylian walks up the sand toward the dock. Revali and Link wait patiently as the old man nears the trader’s shelves. The trader, Mubs, walks over to the stand of fish.

“Same as always, Elder. Porgy and more porgy.” The jest makes the Elder smile and Mubs is already grabbing for some twine to tie up the old man’s purchases in.

As she picks up some porgy for the Elder, Mubs starts chattering, “Elder, you won’t believe what these guys are looking for.”

“Is that so?”

“Those guys are looking for Giant Ancient Cores. Isn’t that right, fellows?” Link and Revali nod, everyone watching as the seller wraps the twine around the fishes’ tails expertly.

“Giant Ancient Cores. Won’t suppose you could find that out in a treasure chest?” The old man asks Mubs, who gives him a stern look.

“Aren’t you a little old to be talking about those things? Treasure chest hunting never did bring much money into the village.”

“I know, I know,” The Elder reassures Mubs, his hands already counting out how many rupees he’ll need, “You have to have your dreams, though, especially at my age. Seems they’re all I have nowadays.” Mubs face softens as they exchange the rupees and porgy. “Now, get home to those kids. I’m sure they’re waiting up on you, Mubs. Travelers!”

The Elder turns to Revali and Link, “Why don’t you come have dinner with me? As the village leader, on behalf of Lurelin Village.”

“That would be wonderful,” Revali answers easily and soon the three men are walking off along the sandy beach toward the Elder’s house.

“My name is Rozel, by the way. What could I call you two?”

“I am Revali of the Rito Village.”

“Link.”

“Rito Village is a long way from here,” Rozel comments as they near a hut. He walks over to the cooking pot beside the hut and sets his fish down on top of it. “Excuse me while I go retrieve some things.”

“Let me help,” Revali offers, following the Elder into his hut. Leaving Link to sit by the cooking pot by himself. The golden sunset from the west plays on the surface of the ocean off in the distance. Colors around here are so vibrant.

“-daughter who moved to Hateno Village. No way to know if she arrived there alright. I have faith though that her husband helped her plenty well enough.”

“We could check on her for you, if you’d like? We go there often.”

“Do you?” The Elder asks Revali as he sets his preparations for dinner by the pot. A smile on Rozel’s face makes the apples of his cheeks redden. “That would be incredibly kind of you if you could send word on her well-being. I sure do miss my little Ralera.”

“Of course,” Revali reassures Rozel as he sits down beside Link.

There is peaceful small talk from there as Rozel starts making the dinner. Revali and Link help prepare it as they all gut fish for a time. Only as they add the extra ingredients from Rozel’s hut does Link realize they’re making some sort of creamy seafood soup. The smell is already to die for and the fish hasn’t even cooked properly yet.

Rozel leans forward toward Link, “My grandmother, she told many stories of the times before the Great Calamity. Is it by coincidence that you share the name of the hero of Legend? A fine name, though his story is a sad one to be short.”

Link shrugs, not sure how to answer.

Revali coughs, a small smile forming on his beak. Link eyes him cautiously. Is he really going to take every opportunity to spread news of their revival? Doesn’t he know he’ll sound like a mad man?

“Actually,” Revali starts, “Neither of our names are coincidences. We happen to both be descendants from the old Champions.” A conspiratorial grin flashes, just for Link, and Link has to laugh under his breath. Revali never ceases to surprise him.

“Descendants?” Rozel asks, a humor light in his face. He starts spooning out portions of the soup. “Ah, that would explain your real reason for coming here. No informed person would come all this way just for Ancient parts.”  

Before this information becomes too puzzling though, Rozel continues as he hands out their bowls, “You know then that your kin, Link, hail from Faron. Which had to be evacuated during the months closing in before the Calamity struck. Many folk around here herald from those refugees who were shepherded to these shores…

“In fact, you may even be curious then on the history that my grandmother had shared with us, all those years ago. All concerning those trying times and the great people who kept us Hylians safe even while evil was knocking on our doors. Great people they were. Legendary in their own right.”

Link and Revali lean in, the meal quickly forgotten.

“The Hero, himself, had few family. At least, that was what my grandmother said. She was a teenager when they were evacuated from Faron. And my grandmother, she told me of the two people who raised the Hero when he was a young boy. There was his father, of course. His father, General Ray of Faron, rose through the ranks as his son was growing up. He received the honor in becoming one of the King’s right hand men shortly before his son was bestowed the Master Sword.

“The second family member was his father’s sister. Aunt to the Hero, she is one of the great people who lead the evacuation of Faron. She was my grandmother’s role model, as my grandmother said she was one of the most inspiring people she had ever had the pleasure of knowing.”

Rozel takes a moment to eat his soup, but soon starts again as Link and Revali urge him to continue. Link trying to not be too obnoxious, and even apologizes for Revali’s eagerness.

Rozel only laughs, “That’s alright. Any person would love to hear about their family’s past. It’s my pleasure, and privilege considering how special this family of yours was.”

“Could you tell me more about m-my great-grandfather’s aunt?” Links asks, stumbling over his words to prevent himself from giving them away.

“Right, my grandmother’s role model,” Rozel nods along, “Her name was Gwyn-Li. Supposedly very charming, she lead a full military life protecting the Faron borders before she was forced into retirement. Not many know this, but the monster invasions happened decades in advance. Well before the Great Calamity struck.  

“Gwyn-Li was older than her brother. If my memory serves right, she would have retired right before he became part of the Royal Guard. Her retirement was forced on her due to a battle she had fought against a Hinox. The beast had caused a huge fuss, uprooting trees as Hinox are known to do. One such tree happened to have landed on Gwyn-Li’s leg, crushing it beyond repair. She was lucky to leave the fight alive.

“From that point on, Gwyn-Li stayed back on the ranch that they’re parents had left them in Faron. During the evacuation, the horses they were known to breed and broke saved many lives. Not to mention all the many other ways Gwyn-Li helped her fellow Faron neighbors. There are details then in my grandmother’s book, if you would like to read them. This is as much as I can do to remember of her.”

Link nods happily, his mind buzzing with information. Gwyn-Li sounded like an amazing aunt. Looking over, Revali is almost done with his soup and the Rito sets his bowl aside before engaging with the Elder further. “So Gwyn-Li was the Hero’s aunt. What was his father like? He was the General you said?”

“That’s right,” Rozel says in between spoonfuls of his own soup, “General Raibert ‘Ray’ of Faron. The first deaf General of the Crown. General Ray had a very short record under this title before the Calamity. The Hero was given his Sword only a few years after his father was given the title, for reference. Though to be fair, the Hero was given the Master Sword at least… a good five years? Before it all went downhill…”

“General Ray…” Link tries the name over his tongue. It sounds strained and unnatural to him, needlessly formal. “He used sign. I was told that sign was still practiced here. Is that right?”

Rozel’s eyes widen and he puts his bowl down excitedly. “You know of the signs?” Link gives an affirmative motion with his hands, and Rozel’s face brightens. “Amazing. We do keep the old sign language alive in the village.”

Rozel signs to Link then, his face changing drastically as he moves through each motion. Link tries to keep up, but it startles him. The Elder’s hand moves fast and fluidly, more fluid than even Mipha’s. But it also feels jarringly different than anything he’d ever been used to seeing…

_“Good morning, Link,” Aunt Gwyn-Li signed as Link woke up from his spot in the bed pallet. “Breakfast? Plenty of eggs, bread, and ham slices. Eat up!”_

_His father’s head popped in then from outside of the ranch home they lived in. “Ready, Link?” He didn’t add the little swaying motion that his aunt had used on Link’s name. His father was always rather understanding of his wishes to be taken more seriously._

_Link shook his head and ran outside to go pee. His little feet tapped furiously on the dirt ground._

Link blinks, his head hurting.

_The Zora Domain was pretty, always super pretty. Link liked getting to visit the fish people. He thought they were pretty too. And strong, like him! He never felt like that much of an outsider here, compared to at home… No one was like him at home. But the fish people grew up funny like he does. And they’re fish people, so what would they care? That’s what Aunt Gwyn-Li said anyway._

_Mipha was having trouble though. She had asked Link to stop playing in the water to show her some new signs. Every once and awhile she’d think of something she’d want to say and she’d ask him how to say it. It was a like a game! And a fun one, not like the ones the knights came up with at the training camp. Those were hard._

_But Mipha seemed to think these were hard too. She’d mess up the words, looking much like how Dad sounds sometimes. It was actually pretty funny, if she could stop being frustrated. It’s okay to not be perfect at it. They don’t come to visit that often!_

_“My fault,” Mipha’s hands shake as she exhaled. She looked tired like the slower kids in the training camp. Though the knights pushed those kids, Link didn’t agree with how they taught._

_“No, my fault, Mipha,” Link signed, “I need to be a better teacher. Here.” Link grabbed Mipha’s hands in his and formed the sign for water, making Mipha’s fingers bend to fit the shape right. “Tap your chin,” Link said out loud._

_Mipha held her hand out and marveled at the shape. She made her hand go lax, then reformed the shape, her eyes questioning. Link nodded reassuringly. The affirmative action seemed to help and Mipha tapped her chin. “Water,” she said and Link gave her a smile for her effort._

_“You’re so good at this!” Link said because being positive always did more. He had to do his best to help when he could._

Link blinks again and the fire under the cooking pot is at a low crackle. Rozel is nowhere in sight. Revali is looking out over the sea, but turns his head Link’s way when Link fidgets where he’s sitting.

“Remember something?” Revali asks him. Link nods and Revali scoots closer. “Thought maybe. You blanked out on Rozel and I told him it was a problem of yours. Nothing personal. He had to go to bed, but I don’t think he’ll hold it against you.”

Link groans. He was just about to get some first-hand experience with a sign user and he blew it. Who’d of thought memories of his early experiences with sign would stop him from getting a better understanding of sign now.

Revali chuckles and wraps a wing around Link reassuringly. “Tomorrow is another day. We’ll have plenty of time to talk to Rozel then. And maybe he can tell us more about treasure chest hunting. That actually sounded like a promising lead.”

Yeah, yeah it did… Link leaned his head into Revali with a thump. His head hurts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lurelin Village! Welcome to the beginning of our 2 week long healing process, featuring two oblivious gays and a population full of history. Exciting stuff! :D 
> 
> Next update will be next Tuesday, so see all you wonderful people then! <3


	29. Faron

_“Peaceful, right?” Link’s father asked him, fishing pole loose in his free hand while his other one made the signs. Link used to love the time they had spent fishing, but he wasn’t that young anymore. They were wasting time. Link’s father sighed when it became obvious Link wasn’t going to respond._

_Link’s line snagged and he tugged the pole up. A porgy, about a foot long, struggled at the end of the line. He chucked the porgy in the bucket before he started to reset his line._

_“-?” Link looked up at his father, still not having his hook on just right. His father signed again, “Link? A lot of stressful things have happened lately. If you want to talk about it… now is a good time.”_

_He took a moment, thinking about it. His dad obviously wanted to help. But… Link looked at his old man and his heart clenched. He saw this look too often. It was the look of someone who wanted to help desperately, but just… couldn’t. His dad didn’t know anything about what he was going through. Link saw it plainly._

_His father had found him and been surprised one day after another with supernatural strength and other, what his father considered to be, impressive feats. From Link’s speed and dexterity to how he was so blatantly abled, spiritually. Everything about Link looked foreign to his dad. He could never understand._

_Link shrugged and signed, “I’m good.” His father’s brow creased and he looked so worried. Link didn’t know what to say to ease his mind. He was only sixteen._

Link pokes the campfire around with a stick. Tonight’s been rough. Information about his family has made Link’s head feel like it’s leaking. Tiny scraps of images will show up, baiting him with the delusion of being able to remember something substantial. Link looks around.

At least this last memory makes sense. The landscape looks about right anyway. Unlike the images of the castle and royal guard, which feel abstract in Link’s detachment. Here the environment feels grounding. His father, a familiar face. His father… apparently someone Link didn’t feel as close to as he thought he might have. It doesn’t make sense.

The sun’s barely even thinking about rising, but Revali rustles next to Link anyway. “..how long-. How long have you been up?” Revali asks him as he looks over to where Link’s squatting by the fire. Link shrugs, still poking the low flames.

“You did sleep, didn’t you?”

Link nods, even though he isn’t sure how much time he truly rested in comparison to how long he stared into his closed eyelids. It doesn’t matter, since Revali doesn’t push the subject further. He rolls over like he’s about ready to try sleeping again. He sighs though and rolls back so that he can look at Link.

“I miss my family too. I wish they were here, like everyone else’s. It’s not fair.”

Link blinks and looks straight at Revali then.

Revali sits up. “That’s better. You’ve had that far off look all night. Let’s talk.” Revali gets up and comes to sit by Link. “I remember my mother pretty well at this point. She trained me well not just in archery, but in song as well. She was my mentor. My father? Funny you’d ask. He stayed in the village more. He was a medicinal man, concocting powders and potions that could make you go from feeling like the worst to feeling like the best. I didn’t get to spend much time with him, I was mainly with my mother. And with my mother’s many sisters. It was a wild childhood, but I couldn’t imagine it any other way.”

As Revali rants, Link’s face looks more and more engaged. He smiles when Revali talks about how his aunts spoiled him and smiles wider yet when he talks about their teasing in masse. A fate none could endure, yet he still survived. It’s endearing and it lets Link forget about his confusing feelings.

The sun rises little by little. Link starts up a breakfast while Revali continues to fill the silence with endless jib over tiny snippets he’s remembered or dreamed up.

As the food cooks, Revali’s last quip about his honestly brutal archery practice dies. Link isn’t sure if he’s grateful for it to end or if he wishes Revali would say more.

But Revali had offered up so much, the least Link can do is try to say something along the same lines. Something simple like ‘We owned a family ranch.’ or ‘My dad and I went on some fun fishing trips together.’

Not. “Apparently I was a really talented kid. I might have intimidated my dad: I was that good.”

Revali’s eyebrows raise and Link can already feel his ears getting warm. “Are you… bragging? Since when do you-“

Link shakes his head violently, waving his hands frantically. “Forget I said anything. That was dumb. Forget it. Forget it!”

Making Revali laugh, “Right, right! Like I’m going to- The great Hero, Link himself, _bragged_ to me today about how he made his dad _wee himself_ over the prowess his only son possessed. That’s honestly _golden-_ “ Revali wheezes then, and Link buries his face in his hands.

“That’s not what I meant!” Link groans as Revali continues to laugh. All the while, the Elder comes out of his hut, a cup of tea in his hands.

As he walks up behind the bickering duo, he chuckles, “You two are lively for it being so early. Sleeping must have done you good.” Rozel smiles at them as he comes to sit by the cooking pot. “What’s for breakfast?”

Still red-faced, Link smiles uncertainly at Rozel as he gestures to the pot. Inside sizzles balls of rice compacted around several food bits like mushrooms, fish, and veggies.

“Smells delicious,” Rozel signs kindly. And Link understands.

The early hours of the morning whittle away by the cooking pot. Rozel eats with Revali and Link, telling them more about Lurelin Village and the hidden treasure that is said to line the beach coasts. He also tells them about the strange island to the east named Eventide. Later after they clean up their meal, Rozel heads back inside to fetch his grandmother’s book.

The Sheikah Slate buzzes and a familiar name pops up on the Messaginator rune when Link pulls it out. Looks like Mipha found a way to change the handle to her own name.

**M: Did you reach Lurelin Village yet?**

**SS 0.0: Yes. Got here last night.**

**SS 0.0: We’re checking some leads today.**

**SS 0.0: How did you change your handle?**

Link looks up from the Slate as Rozel comes back up in their peripheral view. Revali makes a motion to take the Slate as Rozel comes to sit next to them. Letting Revali take it, Link then scoots closer to Rozel and his grandmother’s book. 

Rozel thumbs through the book, careful not to harm the delicate edges. Link looks over Rozel’s arm patiently as he opens up the book to a part considered particularly noteworthy. It looks to be a whole section dedicated to Aunt Gwyn-Li’s achievements from when she was a soldier.  

After awhile, Revali taps Link’s shoulder and tells him that he’s going to go treasure chest hunting with the Sheikah Slate. Rozel and Link wave him off, Rozel offering his little raft to Revali for better coverage. Link watches absently as Revali unties the raft and then blows the raft out to sea with little bursts of wind. Link hadn’t considered it before, but maybe Revali’s had wind magic this whole time… It would make sense.

“Ah, here’s where Gran-gran wrote about the evacuation…” Rozel says absently, pulling Link’s attention back to the book. On the first page is a picture of a woman riding a horse. On the side of the horse shown, however, there isn’t a leg keeping the woman in the saddle, but rather a series of well-placed straps and an extension of leather that the woman’s leg stump was sat in. A bow and quiver hang over her back as well as a spear.

“Gwyn-Li… She could have made Royal Guard, if she had ever wanted to… But she made Faron her priority. Our people used to be spread out more back then. They had many backgrounds from ranchers and farmers to fishermen and gatherers. And then there were the architects, craftspeople of all kinds really. Resources are abundant here, but they were more so back then. Imagine, once this land used to bustle with people. All looking to fine-tune their craft… 

“As my grandmother said, no other place in all of Hyrule was as diversified as Faron. You couldn’t put us into any one box. We could do everything.”

Link arches his eyebrow and signs, “Everything?”

Rozel laughs, “Of course! Boating, Horse riding, not to mention the pilgrimage many take to the Temple of Courage deep in the Faron forests… Or the fine swordsmen that have come from this region over the ages…” Rozel gives him a sly grin, making Link blush.

A thought passes through Rozel’s head then, it’s clear on his face. He asks Link, “Hey… I know that… this isn’t any of my business. I just wonder if maybe there is a chance that you would be… Are you going to follow in your great-grandfather’s footsteps? To slay the darkness they say is draped over the castle?”

It makes Link pause. He nods slowly and Rozel looks saddened.

When Rozel doesn’t say anything else for a stretch of time, Link signs to him, “What is it?”

Rozel hums when he sees Link’s question and signs, “Your great-grandfather was --- human. Truthfully, I do not know how your --- line has continued. He was 17 when he died. Maybe the times were different…”

The thought makes Link want to laugh. He agrees with Rozel. He surely didn’t feel like he had the time, at least, to start a family. Or do much of anything other than train.

 Instead, Link keeps his composure. Rozel continues to sign, “Maybe you should leave the castle to rot. We Hylians have --- our lives. Why not lead the life your great-grandfather did not have the choice to lead?” Link shakes his head sadly, eyes apologetic.

It makes Rozel sigh and he signs, “If there was anything my grandmother truly regretted about the Calamity-“ Link deduces the new sign for Calamity, “-was the loss of life. Many --- the deaths of the ---. Including she. Maybe you will think about it again later…”

Rozel stands up and turns to Link, his hands still moving, “I must go talk with some of our fishermen. Please take the book back to my hut when you are done.” Link agrees and Rozel gives him a small wave before he heads off. Leaving Link alone by the seashore.

A handful of hours pass where Link sits there, studying the material in the book. It’s all historically interesting, let alone interesting for his own personal reasons. Surprisingly, most of the information is restricted to Faron and specifically his aunt, Gwyn-Li. The mentions of General Ray are few and far between, only being mentioned during what were important movements onto monster camps and an odd mention of training exercises.

Near the end, it seems Rozel’s grandmother ran out of things to talk about and resorted to using the book to record important events and holidays that they used to take part in. There is a sad side-note about the lack of festivals post-Calamity.

It brings back an odd feeling of nostalgia that Link can’t even begin to comprehend. There’s a wash of smell and sound association that baffle him, making him want to cry.

Link is still flipping through the book when Revali brings the raft back to shore. As Revali ties up the boat, Link startles him by calling out, “Find anything?”

“Ah! Well, not what we were hoping for, but I did find some treasures,” Revali calls back. Link waits patiently as Revali finishes tying the raft up and then comes over to the campfire to sit down.

“Have you stayed here all day?” Revali asks, his eyes taking in the pages of the book open in Link’s lap.

Link nods, flipping the pages for Revali to see some of the artwork inside. It was rather impressive. “Been busy.”

“Obviously,” Revali smiles, head tilting towards the book, “What’s that supposed to be?”

Link looks down at the section they stopped at: a chapter on the Temple of Courage. Multiple designs show up through the section, looking like stylistic takes of dragons. Link shrugs. “There’s a temple in Faron people used to go to.”

Revali’s eyebrows raise. “Want to go check it out?”

Unconvinced, Link’s face scrunches up.

“Oh, come on. You know you want an excuse to explore the region, don’t give me that. What if there is a shrine there? Sounds likely, doesn’t it?”

“I want to,” Link clarifies, putting the book aside, “but we could be visiting Rito Village instead. We don’t have the time to do both.”

“Says who?”

Link frowns. “It’s a long trip.”

Revali spreads his wings pointedly.

Link groans and then starts to chuckle, “You win. Let’s go on the pilgrimage.”

“Great because I already told Mipha we would be exploring Faron for at least a week or so anyway,” Revali says, pulling out the Sheikah Slate. Link’s head whips back up.

“I forgot I was talking with her!” Link nabs the Slate from Revali, but the conversation Link had had open with Mipha seemed to be deleted. There is no dialogue at all in the text screen. Link backs out to frown at the pair of their handles.

Mipha’s handle got changed again, now sporting the name: Princess Fishlips. Making Link’s eyebrows rise. The Sheikah Slate’s handle was also changed, reading: Stinky Gremlin Man. Link groans and starts slapping Revali’s wings. Laughing, Revali blocks the blows, eventually making Link laugh at the absurdity.

Still chuckling, Link settles down to stare at the screen intently, “Okay, show me how to change it. Now.”

“Pushy, pushy. I think the name is rather fitting myself.”

“Ha ha, show me, Revali.”

Revali tuts. Link keeps pestering him to help him change the handle, but Revali continues to refuse. Instead, Revali digs into their food stuffs for something to eat. In part, the teasing is good fun and Link deserves to have to message Mipha with said handle. On another, more important hand, Revali feels reluctant to take away this excuse for Link to complain. The moment is bringing out a more social part of the Hero that Revali hasn’t seen in some time.

Link groans again while Revali chews on a steamed fish. He’s starting to fiddle with the appliance in the hopes of randomly coming across the handle options. Rozel’s book catches his attention out of the corner of his eye and Link glowers at it. He still has to put it back in the hut.

Frowning at the Sheikah Slate, Link exits the Messaginator rune so that he can take pictures of some of the pages. Taking a picture might make it last longer. Who knows. Revali watches while he finishes his fish.

Link sets the Slate down beside Revali and takes the book back to Rozel’s. When Link comes walking back, he catches Revali as he quickly puts the Slate back where it was.

“What’d you do..?” Link asks cautiously, looking between Revali and the Sheikah Slate.

Revali frowns, pretending to have a lack of interest in the matter. “You wanted to change the handle, so I changed it to something nicer. Your welcome.”

Link huffs as he picks the Slate up, “Right. Probably to something like ‘Passable Archer’. ‘Hyrule’s Okayest Champion’?” Revali laughs, but looks away while shaking his head. Link’s eyes scan down from Revali to the screen. Handsomest Knight. That’s the new Sheikah Slate handle.

…

Now Link knows Revali’s taking the piss.

It makes Link laugh, cheeks pink. Revali lets himself laugh as well and soon Link is shoving Revali over as he comes to sit right up against the Rito. It makes Revali nervous, but he holds his own, shoving back lightly in return.

“You’re such a pain,” Link says rather fondly. Words like that shouldn’t make Revali feel loved, but this is just the state he’s in he guesses. He’s a guy that likes being insulted now. “Show me how you change it already.”

“Why,” Revali asks, angling his beak down so he can meet Link’s eyes, “Does the name not fit the main user of the Sheikah Slate?”

Link rolls his eyes, his face still pink. He looks rather adorable and Revali wants to thread his beak through his hair again. Like the other morning.

“Come on, stop it. Just change it. Show me.”

Feeling bold, Revali wiggles his eyebrows. “Oh, what could the famous Hero of Hyrule aka ‘Handsomest Knight’ want me to show him? My heart _quivers_ -“  

Link drops the Slate so that he can shut Revali’s beak with both of his hands. “No. No. No more of that. I don’t want to know. Stop.” The heat of Link’s hands on his beak feels unproportionally warm and tingly. It’s a little unnerving how easily Link can take control of him whenever he wanted to. Revali doesn’t even want Link to let go, he’s so perfectly content just like this.

This feels weird. This isn’t like other times Link has made Revali shut up. They’re so close together, Revali’s face basically in Link’s own, his beak pulled close to Link’s chest. It feels intimate, but Link can’t back out now. If he makes this weird, he’ll never be able to live it down.

Slowly, patiently, Link lets go of Revali’s beak. Revali keeps eye contact with him while his hands keep around his beak.

But the moment he’s free, Revali continues, “My mother will be _so scandalized_ when she hears-“ Instantly he loses beak privileges, only just newly regained. Thus is the rise and the fall.

This time Link makes sure to hold Revali’s beak farther away, and eyes him suspiciously. Revali only waggles his eyebrows, seemingly without shame.

After several moments, Link lets Revali go with a sigh. Quickly Revali reaches up to his beak to rub at where Link had been pinching it together. “What if I squeezed _your lips_ shut every time I didn’t like what _you_ said?”

Link raises his eyebrows, unimpressed. His eyes flit to Revali’s wingtips and back. “Try it. I dare you to.”

The next hour is spent in an uproar. Revali wrestles with Link, but every time he gets close to Link’s mouth Link either blocks him perfectly or just outright bites him. Which obviously hurts more.

“I shouldn’t have changed the Gremlin Man title! It fit you better!” Revali grips loudly, getting within earshot of the villagers whose attention is caught by the sudden movement.

“Who are those people, Elder?” A man asks, his fish roasting on several spears around a nearby fire.

Rozel smiles kindly, watching the pair. “The Hylian is a descendent of the fallen Hero. The Rito is a descendent from the fallen Rito Champion. A charming pair. They have some high hopes of saving Hyrule Castle…”

The man smiles as he watches the two boys wrestle in the sand. “They’ve got a ways to go.”

“Yes,” Rozel agrees warmly, “but I see a lot of promise there. Maybe they have what their ancestors lacked all those years ago… Well, I must retire for the night. Happy fishing tomorrow.”

Rozel avoids the Champions, passing them without notice.

It isn’t until they are both out of breath and covered in sand before Link and Revali let up on each other. Revali cringes when he realizes his feathers are now caked with sand, but there isn’t much he can do in the moment. Link lies across his chest, holding his opposing wing down on the ground loosely. Glancing down, Revali notices Link is, of course, also caked in sand. This was such a bad idea.

But Revali has a contented Link spread over him, breathing hard and happy to stay where he is for however long he deems fit. Yeah, grooming needs will have to be damned for the moment.

Eventually they pull themselves up off the ground and wade into the sea to clean off.

When they wade back out they shake the excessive water, then go to find private places they can change into drier clothes at. As Link comes back to the cooking pot, he notices the Slate. Perfectly untouched from where he had dropped it. He’s almost stunned. He’s never this carefree about where he keeps the Sheikah Slate.

Revali is still changing, so Link decides to take the moment to bite the bait. It’ll be better without Revali there to tease him in person. He messages Mipha.

**HK: Mipha? It’s Link.**

**HK: Can you tell me how to change the handle? Revali changed it and won’t show me how to change it back.**

There’s no immediate reply and Link frowns. He guesses Mipha can’t always be available to answer, but he had hoped… Revali’s already coming back to the cooking pot.

“Are we staying another night? There’s actually an inn here we can stay at. Imagine. We could have had a proper bed if we had bothered to look last night.”

An inn? Link lets that line of thought distract him from the screen. Any time him and Revali have gone to an inn together lately, they’d saved money by booking together. Would Revali want to do that again? Did Link want Revali to want to do that again?

The screen flashes and Link glances down at it.

**M: Ah so I have not been the only one to be pranked.**

**M: If you hadn’t understood, Urbosa also changed my handle to suit her tastes.**

**M: These friends of ours can be rather disagreeable when they want to be.**

**M: Though I think Revali was rather mild. Urbosa’s was much worse.**

**HK: No Revali is worse. This is the second time he’s changed it.**

**M: What was it before?**

“Ignoring me for the fish princess again?” Revali inquires, beak close to Link’s shoulder. Link holds the Slate close to his chest, giving Revali a pointed look. “Hey,” Revali says putting up his wings, “I’m still waiting on your input about what we’re doing tonight.”

Right. Right the inn. Did Link want to stay at the inn with Revali? Yeah. That’s a no brainer.

“Inn for tonight.”

Link’s attention diverts to the screen again, a huff coming from Revali in the background as he does so.

**M: By the way, did Revali ever find any Giant Ancient Cores?**

**M: Last I heard he was out searching for treasure chests.**

**HK: No. He did find some chests though.**

**HK: He hasn’t shown me what he found, but it’s probably precious stones. Weapons. Arrows. That sort of stuff.**

**M: Right. However unfortunate.**

**M: He also said you found information about your family.**

**M: What came of that?**

Revali is pacing back and forth behind him. Link can hear him.

**HK: I had an aunt. She made sure people were safe during the Calmity.**

**M: Calmity?**

**HK: Calamity?**

**M: …**

**M: I liked the first spelling better. Anyway.**

**HK: …**

**HK: Oh calm-ity. Haha.**

**HK: Right. So I had an aunt. And my dad. I remembered a bunch about them.**

**HK: Also learned a lot about the region. It’s where I grew up.**

**M: You two will go exploring correct?**

**HK: Right. The Temple of Courage is in the woods. We’ll be going there tomorrow.**

**M: No more treasure hunting?**

Revali sits down heavily beside Link, apparently giving in to waiting for Link to finish this conversation up. Link should do that, he only really wanted one thing anyway.

**HK: Probably not.**

**HK: I need to go. Can you tell me how to fix the handle quick?**

**M: Sorry, I thought we had time. We’ll have to talk then after you find the temple.**

**M: As for the handle, I don’t think I will be telling you actually…**

**M: I think it suits you.**

**M: Good night, Link.**

Link leans the screen away, staring in disbelief. Twice now Mipha has betrayed him to side with their mischief-making friends. When will her wicked streak end?

**MK: …**

**MK: Good night.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's a brave new world! Saving the best for last, Link is finally getting some of the meat of his memories. Faron is a such an interesting local and I had worried when I first started this story that I wouldn't be able to touch on it at all. Hopefully you all like this headcanon-lore dump that is going to just keep happening for the next couple of chapters :D 
> 
> On an added and unnecessary note, the second time Link grabs Revali's beak there is a very specific image that comes to my head. It's the meme of the white cat being held at knife point. Just absolutely remorseless. Thanks for reading
> 
> Next chapter comes out next Tuesday!  
> See ya then <3


	30. Faron

As expected, they do not actually book just one bed. Of course. Link doesn’t know why he assumed they would. The times they had slept together had be situational, probably never to be repeated. Though hearing Revali order his single did leave Link feeling oddly disappointed. The rush of memories Link’s been getting is making him feel childish, he decides. He needs to get a grip.

Revali and him set about getting ready for the new day. As they leave the inn, pleas to clear Aris Beach of monsters leave the mouths of several villagers before they can leave. Pressed for time, Link and Revali make loose promises to clear it as they back out of the village.

Finally, the two Champions find their way to the road, nestled between the Faron mountain range and a smaller mountain to the south. It’s a clear, easy walking path with little obstacles in the way. Up ahead they can see the tree line for the forests come edging along the horizon.

_Link and his father used to escort fishermen to and from the forest. This open area had became a prime location for ambush. Vigilance was rewarded more than once._

_A horseshoe-shaped charm dangled on a beaded necklace._

To their left, a sign leads the way to Aris Beach. Not one to break a promise, Link tugs Revali down the path. They can already see the massive monster camp out in the sea just off the beach. It’s amazing in its complexity and size.

_Hands moved certainly, begging caution._

Link shakes his head. He hasn’t had a clear head ever since they came to Faron. It was obvious that this place would hold a lot of importance to him, he knew he came from Faron since his earliest memories, but this was a bit overkill. Did everyone else get so bombarded when they finally came home?

Revali and Link swiftly set themselves up strategically on either side of the camp. From their perches, they set about picking off monsters from afar with well-placed shots. Though Revali’s targets fell quicker than Link’s. Eventually they move onto the camp, taking out the rest of the monsters steadily with due diligence.

As the pair of Champions collect their spoils, they regroup at the top of the base by the monsters’ treasure chest. Inside was a Soldier’s Halberd, a rather dull find considering the array of weapons they have been exposed to thus far. Though the weapon does bring back the happy memory of Mipha discovering her old talents, showing off for the other newly awakened Champions on the Great Plateau.

Link considers Revali then. The Rito has changed quite a bit since their early days.

“Surprising that you didn’t leave us back then…” Link mumbles to Revali, not really meaning for the thought to go anywhere.

Revali looks up at Link, confused. “When would this be?”

Startled, Link blinks before answering, “Oh. The Great Plateau. You could have left to find other people like you. Try to find out who you were. But you stayed.”

“And that’s surprising… how?”

Link shrugs, looking back down at the halberd as he tilts in his hands, “You could have left anytime you wanted. I guess I don’t know why you ever stayed…”

Revali lets out a light chuckle as he reexamines his bows. “I had thought about leaving… But our merry band were the only things familiar to me in my bright new world. I had no idea where to go, just that if I stuck with you bunch… Well then maybe some of it would start making sense.

“And look where we are now,” Revali smiles Link’s way, making the Hylian feel self-conscious, “Everything makes sense and just as suspected: I hate almost everything about it. But at least it makes sense. If I had left… I’d hate to think of what shape Hyrule would have been in then.”

“Right, we would be lost without you,” Link says sarcastically, whipping the halberd off quickly with the edge of his shirt before he puts it away. He stands up and looks around. The Faron forests are off to their left from here, and that smaller mountain is directly to their right.

 “Are you saying you could do this all without me?” Revali says, coming to stand by Link’s side as they view over the landscape. His face holds a pained expression, though his eyes twinkle with mischief.

Link shrugs and then rests his head back into his clasped hands. “I’ve been told I can slew entire armies. One bad guy can’t be that hard.”

Revali scoffs, “Remembering your past has only inflated your head. I swear you used to be so much more modest... What happened to that bright-eyed child, Link? For he has forsaken me for vanity…”

Link shoves Revali playfully before pointing over the mountain to their right. “We can send news of the beach if we hop over the mountain. The walk wasn’t that long.”

“You just want to go right back to the place that sings your praises. Don’t think I’m fooled.”

Link rolls his eyes and takes the few steps it takes to jump off the side of the monster base.

“These decisions are supposed to be up for a _democratic vote!_ ” Revali calls over the side, watching as Link spreads out his paraglider and glides over to the beach by the mountain’s base. With a sigh, Revali takes off after him.

Down on the beach, Link waits cheekily for Revali to drop for him so that he can ride the wind current with the Rito. However, Revali does not drop for Link, instead continuing on to fly up the mountain without him. Realizing he’s being left behind, Link smiles ruefully and runs up the mountain path to try to keep up.

Revali waits patiently for Link at the very top of the mountain and overviews the locale. It’s a strange place. Directly north is a small pond, shaped like a heart, which is surrounded by flowers. Already here is a Gerudo woman and a Hylian man, seemingly not here together as they are set on ignoring each other. To Revali’s left then is a smaller set of ponds that are surrounded by Nightshade. It’s an odd place, not without its romantic undertones.

_In all your travels, Revali, have you ever heard of a place called Lovers’ Pond? It is supposed to be a pond shaped like a heart, set on top of a mountain. They say you can meet your soulmate there. Some even say that if you give your beloved a flower there, they will fall madly in love with you. It is many Gerudos dream to find this place. I wonder if my aunt will let me go look for it someday…_

Revali had basically memorized all of Koriga’s old letters by this point. And Lovers’ Pond… This is a pretty special place to just happen to stumble upon. Down below, Link just reaches the top. He’s looking around, probably looking for Revali, but his eyes stop when he takes in the pair by the pond.

Curious, Revali watches as Link goes to talk the Hylian. Then Link runs over to the Gerudo. He produces a Nightshade for her to take and she then calls for the other man to come over. The Hylian stranger meekly crosses the distance and the group continues to talk form there. Eventually this somehow gets the other Hylian to pay Link a considerable amount of money? For some reason? Then the strange pair link arms and start walking down the path down to the beach.

Link looks up at Revali suddenly, making the Rito blanch. There’s a mischievous smile on his face again and he waves for Revali to come join him.

“What was all that about?” Revali asks as soon as he lands at Link’s side. Link shrugs, a smile still visible on his face. Quickly he sets about collecting the resources around them, there being several Hearty Radishes and a chest in the pond to collect. “What’d they pay you for then?”

“The lady wanted to pay me. They didn’t have to,” Link hums.

“You gave her a flower.”

Link hums again, coming back to Revali’s side as he finishes his gathering. “Jealous?”

“And if I am?” Revali answers cheekily.

Link gives Revali an exaggerated look of concern. He holds up a finger and shuffles through his inventory. His heart in his throat for no good reason.

Quickly he pulls out another Nightshade and moves in close so that he can tuck it in securely within the top of Revali’s chest piece. “There. No need for tears.”

“Well now don’t I feel special,” Revali says softly, softer than intended.

Link taps his hand against the chest piece, right below the flower: feeling awkward. That was probably weird to do. Was that a weird thing to do? He was just trying to tease his friend, but now this seems a little… Trying not to lose himself in doubt, Link smiles up at Revali in a burst of fake confidence.

The rumors about falling madly in love by the Lovers’ Pond, Revali muses, must be true. A smile like that will surely kill Revali before too long at this pace.

“Link…” Revali tries to say, a wing raised to hold Link’s hand close, but Link pulls back. Revali doesn’t get a chance to say more as Link tugs him off in the direction of Lurelin Village. He jumps off the mountain peak and Revali can do nothing more but follow Link.

They’re greeted happily by a villager, surprised that they would come back so soon. Revali explains that Aris Beah is clear for now and they are rewarded for the efforts before they set back out again.

It’s quiet between the pair of Champions as the approach the tree line of the forest. Link, lost in thought, while Revali berates himself. There was a perfect moment to say his piece and he lost it. And not for the first time. When will he get a chance?

It’s quiet on the road, no distraction. He could do it right now. Just mention it, casually. Just so Link knows his intentions and they don’t keep this act of romantic interest up, in the name of a good laugh. Rationally, Revali knows if they keep it up, he’ll be hurt badly if Link doesn’t actually return his feelings.

The sound of bugs and the rustling of leaves surrounds them as they enter the forest. But there is also something else. It’s music. The sound of… no Kass wouldn’t be all the way out here, would he?

Link turns his head questioningly to Revali, who shares the same expression. Quickly, they look around, following the accordion music. It takes some grappling, but they’re able to make their way up the hills Kass has himself perched up in. They find him playing his accordion happily in the rain.

Kass hears their footsteps and turns to the sound. A look of apprehension fades to recognition, a lazy smile lolling onto his face.

“Friends! It has been some time, what a treat to see you again! Only two of you today?”

Revali nods as they come to stand by Kass’s perch. “It’s raining, Kass. What are you doing out here?”

“Well I could say the same to you,” Kass dodges the question, a glint in his eyes. “You remember that I am out to finish my master’s songs? Well there is a song about this place. Would you like to hear it?”

Link nods and Revali agrees, “Sure, let’s hear it.”

Kass holds up his accordion again and a tune starts up. After a few bars, Kass starts to sing, "When a lost hero calls… down lightning from the sky… the monk responds… from a giant mound on high." Kass continues to play another set of bars, a repeat of the earlier melody before he lowers the accordion. “Cryptic as always. I wonder what it could mean…”

“Cryptic like the song you played out where we first met?” Revali asks, suddenly thoughtful.

“All of my master’s songs hold that tone of mystery, to be sure,” Kass agrees easily, raising his accordion to play it absently.

Revali looks around before something catches his eye, “Stay right there, Kass. We’ll be right back.” Kass nods happily and continues playing his accordion as Link follows Revali off farther into the forest.

“From a giant mound on high…” Link hears Revali mutter before they stop before a giant… mound. “…calls down lightening from the sky…” Revali looks up in the rain, focused.

Gently, Link asks, “Revali..? What is it?”

“Oh! Right, you weren’t with,” Revali looks back at Link, thoughtful, “There was a shrine pedestal Kass was singing nearby when we first met him. The song he was singing there had been about mounting a deer to then ride it across the pedestal. We were so sure it was a riddle to reveal a shrine. We just couldn’t get a hold of any of the deer at the time, so we left it unsolved. So much was going on at the time…”

Understanding now, Link nods along and then points at the mound questioningly.

“Right. So the song says we need to call lightening from above. Normally, that would make me think Urbosa would need to come, but these common shrines… They’re to train you, specifically, correct?” Link nods. “So, there must be a way to call the lightening without her help…”

Link looks up, the rainy sky still above them. Every once and awhile lightening will streak and skirt around. He can’t figure a way they could possibly call lightening down. Maybe this shrine is meant to be impossible. Or near to it.

“What if…” Revali starts, “What if… this means we should be teaching you our abilities.” His eyes are wide as he stares down at Link. Link feels like that’s a bit of a stretch. “No, think about it! If you had had our abilities to start with when Ganon came, do you think you would have had such a hard time defending Hyrule? Even if we died, then maybe you could have-“

Link puts his hand on Revali’s wing, shaking his head. “Don’t.”

Stuck on this thought, Revali doesn’t look so sure. “But if you _had-_ “

“It’s in the past. I’ll ask Urbosa about her lightening. Just don’t. Don’t beat yourself up about it.” Link pats Revali’s wing again. “It’s not worth it.”

“Right,” Revali says, conflicted, “You’re right. What’s done is done and this is a conversation to have with everyone. Let’s go back to Kass.”

Link notices that Revali is more in his head as they walk back to their friend.

“Heading to the stable? I could use lunch myself,” Kass chirps happily. Revali and Link agree, following the bard as he slides down from the hill, back to the trail.

It’s quiet between them all except for Kass’s accordion and the trill of the forest. It’d be relaxing if the two Champions could think of anything besides the results of their past failures and shortcomings.

When Link looks up, they had just crossed a long wooden bridge and are approaching a stable, buzzing with people as usual. Beetle can be seen selling his wares. Stablehands mill about as they do their chores… Just common people, living their lives, despite it all. Even the rain had stopped, so they could have their meal out by a cooking pot.

Still distracted, Revali offers to cook for the group right before pulling out some ingredients. Kass happily agrees, already back to pulling on his accordion, and all Link can do is watch as Revali gets started. Feeling down, Link wants to distract himself from his thoughts. He makes an excuse, saying he’ll go check Beetle’s shop while Revali cooks. Anything to give him something to do.

Kass continues to play his accordion, swapping from one tune to another at will.

“So…” Kass drawls, catching Revali’s attention, “Everything still okay in paradise? You two seem more despondent. I’d hate to think I might have caused that.”

Revali looks puzzled by the phrasing, but then soon relaxes as he stirs the pot. “Nothing you did, I assure you. They are all issues completely of our own.”

“But there are issues? Perhaps talking about them will lighten the load. I’ve been in a marriage for quite some time, so maybe my advice could be of use.”

Revali frowns, “No, our problems are more… work related. And we aren’t in that sort of relationship to begin with. But you didn’t say anything about having a wife... Where is she at?”

Kass smiles, “You cannot distract me, Revali. While talk of my wife is alluring, we were talking about you. I thought surely you two would have gotten over your internal wars by now. Tell me about it, Revali. You two gravitate around each other like the Earth and the Moon. What could be the problem?”

Revali ducks his head as he checks on Link, still hovering by Beetle as they discuss their supplies. It looks like Link could be there awhile; they’re bartering looks intense.

When he looks back at Kass, he finds his companion’s eye steadily on himself. “Well,” Revali says, his wing clammy on the ladle all of a sudden, “Things are… different now. But we just aren’t far enough along to say… to be considered an… item. In any sense.”

Kass frowns, “That tells me very little, friend.”

Revali groans. “I do not think Link… knows, per say, what my exact intentions are.”

“And what are your intentions then?”

Revali feels like he could combust on the spot. “I wish to court him. Currently, I am working up to revealing my… er… feelings.” Even to him that sounded lame.

“Ah, young love… So there are plans to tell him then?”

“Eventually,” Revali amends, scooping up a piece of fish. He holds it out to Kass. “How does that look?”

Kass’s eyes flit across Revali, then to a point behind him, and then back to Revali. He puts down his accordion. “May I?”

Revali nods, but is surprised when Kass grabs his wing instead of the spoon handle. Kass keeps eye contact as he tips the handle and tastes the fish. He pulls back slowly, taking time to taste it. Eyes far off, he concentrates on the flavor before nodding agreeably in Revali’s direction. “That’s perfect, don’t change a thing.”

Pleased, Revali pulls out their bowls to serve the dishes. He tries not to jump when a familiar hand places itself squarely on his back, blonde hair visible in his peripheral. Link takes the stool next to Revali, holding out a bundle of arrows for Revali invitingly. His wings full, Revali motions for Link to set the bundle down by his stool for now.

Kass chuckles at the exchange, earning Link’s attention. There’s a certain hardness in the Hylian’s eyes. Kass shakes his head and takes his bowl gratefully when Revali offers. Funnily enough, Link offers almost the same level of gratitude, if not more, when Revali hands him his own bowl. Odd since Link normally wouldn’t bother. But then Link was the one who usually makes the meals, so maybe Revali’s manners that were slacking.

In the meantime, Kass keeps up a pleasant stream of chatter. Sometimes he asks questions about their travels, but for the most part he continues by offering interesting tidbits about the surrounding area. Much of it they already knew, to Link’s annoyance.

When the meal is done, the pot whipped empty, Kass turns to Link. “You know, there’s a particular area that you might find of interest. I swear it won’t take much of your time, just a peculiarity.” Suspicious, Link slowly gets up to follow after Kass.

“Should I come as well?” Revali asks, still busy putting away their cooking supplies.

“I fear it’s down a rather dirty path. Wouldn’t want to get your feathers muddy now, since they do look so nicely preened. It will only be a moment,” Kass placates Revali before leading Link off behind the stable. Concerned, Revali watches them even after they disappear around the corner.

Link crosses his arms as he follows Kass back into the brush behind the stable. He’s finding that he doesn’t like how Kass acts with Revali. Maybe he’s a good guy, but that doesn’t mean he can just do… whatever with Revali’s personal space. It takes a lot to earn that space. Link should know!

Kass stops shortly right by the shelf of a mountain side. Tucked between the crack here are a pile of rocks, looking to have covered up what might have been a tunnel or some sort of hide away. Link studies the rock fall with some interest, but stays vigilant. Who knows what Kass could want.

“You see it too, right?” Kass chirps contently, “This must have lead somewhere at some point, long forgotten past all these rocks. Who knows what could be behind it all…”

Link could probably blow the rock away with a remote bomb, but he doesn’t want to do that with Kass here. So Link merely shrugs, agreeing with Kass, but not committing to anything more.

Kass looks over in Link’s direction, searching Link’s face. “It could take awhile, to try to dig it all out by hand. Even with a special tool or the help of a Goron, the time it could take could be outstanding… If only there was something to make it… break apart. Like a magic that could just clear it all away…”

Feeling exasperated with all this, Link shrugs again but more exaggerated this time.

Kass sighs then, perhaps defeated, “You’re right. It would be wishful thinking in any case,” Kass pushes off the rock to head back to the front of the stable, “If only the rock wasn’t so dense, maybe the work could be manageable. Who knows what splendor would be awaiting any who put in the effort to unveil its secrets…”

Link frowns at Kass’s back as they walk the rest of the way back to Revali. He has an itching feeling that Kass was being mysterious again. A riddler through and through.

When they get back, Kass goes to give Revali a hug before picking up his accordion.

“It’s been a pleasure seeing you fine folk. May our paths cross again!”

Revali and Link watch as Kass walks back across the bridge back to his spot by the hidden shrine.

Revali leans Link’s way as Kass gets further and further away. “So. What was that all about?”

Link’s eyebrows raise and he raises his hands in frustration. Annoyed, he shakes his head and starts off again on the path once more. He stops though, mid-stride, making Revali bump into him. Pivoting on his foot, Link whips around Revali and pulls him along back to the rockfall Kass had shown him.

“Where are we- What’s this?”

Link motions largely at the general area before he pops out a round bomb from the Sheikah Slate.

“Why didn’t you bomb it with Kass around?”

Link just rolls his eyes. He gives the bomb a chuck from a safe distant and sets it off. Revali and him duck as debris flies. Then they take a peek inside. A glowing orange light gives away the sign of a potential shrine.

“Kass was right,” Revali says as he brushes himself off, “I just got covered in dirt and mud. It’ll take at least one if not two good soaks to get it all out again.” Link scans Revali’s dirty feathers and tuts in sympathy. Revali feels a group of feather puff along his neck, making the dirt there blow out. Damn it all.

The shrine is simple enough and would have at least taken some time without the cheats that were Revali’s helpful wings. As is, they are in and out before any time has passed at all: heading back on the road in record time.

Still feeling odd about being left out, Revali quips, “You know, people don’t normally exclude each other unless they are talking about one another. So? Did Kass have something to say about me? Is there something I should know? Maybe a slight I overlooked?”

Link frowns, shaking his head before answering, “He just showed me that entrance. That’s it.”

“So he didn’t even imply-?”

Link rolls his eyes and concedes, “Maybe, but I didn’t get it if he did. Does it matter? We got the shrine.”

“Maybe? If it was just about a shrine, then I don’t see why I couldn’t have come along.”

Link shrugs. “He said a lot about the rocks. How to break them. All kinds of ways, but none of them realistic. Magic or whatever.”

“Surely that wasn’t all, Kass wouldn’t just go on about a pile of rocks.”

“You weren’t there! Isn’t that the point?” Link huffs, giving Revali an exasperated look. Revali deflates under Link’s glare and Link looks away after a beat. Link’s arms cross. Then his face twitches and the words are out his mouth before he thinks, “Why would you even care what Kass thinks...”

Revali stops dead in the middle of the path, making Link stop just a couple paces in front of him. “Despite popular belief, I do care what others think, Link.”

Link instantly knows he’s put his foot in his mouth. “I didn’t mean that. Can we just forget it?”

Tempted, Revali takes a couple steps before he stops right by Link. “What’s gotten into you?”

He actually looks pretty hurt, and Link’s taken aback. Revali’s right, everything was fine before they went to see Kass and now Link’s gone and let him get under his skin. Every good feeling Link’s gotten on this trip has just vanished in the course of an hour. Now he just feels drained.

“I’m sorry, Revali. I swear I didn’t mean it. I just…” Just what? Link fidgets, slapping the sign for ‘my fault’ against his own hand as he thinks. Why is he acting like this?

When Link looks back up at Revali, he holds his breath, his friend’s face no longer angry but concerned. Slowly, Revali’s wings rest on Link’s arms, stopping Link’s hands from hitting each other. His beak comes down closer to Link’s face as he eyes the Hylian in his wings.

Revali’s voice comes out patiently even as he speaks to Link, “You know you can tell me if something happened. I would not take a stranger’s side over yours, Link. So be honest with me. What did Kass do?”

Link deflates then in Revali’s arms, knowing he doesn’t have one bad thing he could say about Kass. He was just overreacting and being wildly suspicious. And of what? Kass is the guy that stayed out with Revali in a blood moon to wait up on Link. He's the guy that will talk with strangers for hours. And he's the guy that wants nothing more than to honor his master's memory. Kass it the guy that spends his whole life singing songs praising his stupid hero ass, and Link has to stand here now and reassure Revali that Kass. One of the nicest guys in Hyrule. Didn’t do anything wrong.

The thought of Kass hugging Revali spurs to his mind, unwarranted. Unwanted. How Kass looked at Revali when Revali had him tasting the fish stew. And these weren’t the first times Kass has been handsy with Revali. It’s bothered Link ever since Kass left their campfire the first time they meet.

Cringing, Link doesn’t like to have to ask this, but he doesn’t think Revali could let this go now if he doesn’t say something. “Is it… normal? For Rito to be so… familiar with one another?”

Caught off guard, Revali blanches, “Familiar? I barely know Kass. Let alone him me.”

Link wants to crawl out of his skin. His face is pinched as he looks everywhere but at Revali. “No. Like. Touching and… stuff. You fed him that soup earlier..?” Steadily Link’s face gets redder and redder as he tries to find a way to explain what he means.

Revali blinks. “Does that bother you? As I remember, that girl from Gerudo was also rather touchy. She practically hung off of you when she took you off to town.”

Considering it like that makes Link feel even worse. He’s such a hypocrite.

A break of silence falls between them before Revali breaks it again, “Well? Did Kass acting like that with me bother you? Was it because it was with me?”

Now Revali is just trying to torture him. And Link would deserve it at this point.

Reluctantly Link nods, his eyes cast away to the side. His face is flushed with shame and embarrassment. Revali doesn’t care. Revali brightens at the admission as he puts two and two together.

Trying not to tease, Revali suppresses his smile as he asks, “Would you like it if, say the next time we see Kass, I’ll make sure he doesn’t get… too familiar with me. No touching. In return, of course, I would like to never have to see that girl from Gerudo hanging off of you again. Is that a deal?”

What?

Link takes a moment to process that because that doesn’t sound right. He lets the words sink through his head. Making sure that Revali had just said what he had just said, even though he didn’t have to. If anything, Revali should be asking for Link not to care about how Kass was with him. It's not like it's any of Link’s business. Link could cry from the frustration he’s feeling. On both his and Revali's behalf. 

But if he agrees, if it means he won’t have to ever see Kass touching Revali again. And then he won’t have to feel that way about Revali. About Kass. And then he can just… not be doing what they’re doing right now. Talking about how Link feels about Kass touching Revali. And what a relief that would be.

Link’s eyes trail up Revali’s chest, lingering on the Nightshade still tucked neatly in place in his chest plate. Then he looks farther up into Revali’s face, his eyes: looking mischievous and at least a little happy. If accepting these conditions meant that Revali would stay happy with him, then it probably isn’t the worst thing Link could be agreeing to.

“I’d like that,” Link finally answers, his mouth dry. Revali’s eyes light up and Link looks away before it can be too much. Whatever this is. Link’s chest already feels lighter knowing that Revali would do that for him. It might not be right, but, Goddess, if Link isn’t happy about it anyway.

Happily, Revali pulls the embarrassed Hylian to his chest and squeezes him tightly. After a moment Revali releases Link to find the Hylian looking rather watery and still distraught. Revali can’t have that.

“Glad we could sort that out. Shall we?” Revali gestures to the road ahead of them. He keeps one wing around Link as he tugs the Hylian along, squeezing as Link walks with him.

“…so you’re not mad anymore?” Link asks after awhile, his voice low and quiet.

Revali smiles at the concern. “No, I’d say I’m not. You make it rather hard to stay mad at you for long.” In response, Link’s face takes on a light dusting of red again. Revali smiles, taking in the moment to better remember it. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're here folks! All that work is finally leading to the part I've been so excited to write :D 
> 
> And before anyone asks if it's realistic for someone to be so obvious of themselves and others: Link is me. This is just shameless self-insertion when it comes to how Link handles his feelings. I'm not proud, but hopefully it makes for an entertaining read haha 
> 
> Hope you guys all liked this important chapter and don't be afraid to land some keysmashes in the comments. We're all internaling screaming this fine Tuesday evening.   
> See you guys again next Tuesday! <3


	31. Faron

An awkwardness hangs over the two adventurers as they tread the path through Faron. It isn’t unpleasant, but Link still doesn’t understand what happened exactly. Though he feels like he should have, considering the expectant looks he catches Revali giving him when he doesn’t think Link’s looking.

Link keeps his head buried in his Sheikah Slate for some sort of escape. And to be fair, he does need it for this tower they’re coming close to. They can see it just peeking over the trees, high on a cliff on the other side of the river to the right of the path. Revali creates an updraft so they can reach it easily. He even clears the Wizzrobe by the base so that Link can climb the rest of the tower safely.

Meanwhile, Revali catches up with Link at the top of the tower. Just like on the Plateau, the orange lights of the tower burst in a bright flash of white and blue. Link pulls up the map and they overview where they’ve been: maybe already passing a likely place for the spring.

Link has his doubts. Though they’ve crossed several statues, none have been of the dragon that is doodled in Rozel’s book. He pulls up the pictures to show Revali and they agree to keep pushing forward.

They quickly hit the border of Faron on the Sheikah map, but Link feels like that doesn’t tell the full story. Faron stretches on farther than this. It’s on his gut that Revali follows him into the thickly wooded area just outside the map’s borders.

Curious, Revali watches as Link navigates. There’s a sureness to his step, a tilt to his head. A belief in his bones that Revali can’t argue with. The Hylian is running on instinct, and quickly catches on to the scent of the trail when they run into a few statues along the road. Dragons greet them as Link pulls them off north of the path: deeper into the woods.

This is Link at home, refamiliarizing himself with the place he grew up in.

However, the intense focus Link gives to finding the way to the spring seems to be distracting him from the threats that surround them. Monsters have treated these woods in particular as a breeding grounds. Link dips and dives through the hoards without much caution, making Revali take the brunt of the fight so that they can keep going.

“Link! Come back here and _help me!_ ” Revali calls out as he gets blocked by two Lizalfos. Behind their shoulders, Revali watches Link wander off around a group of trees: disappearing from view.

_A reed whistle sounds through Faron Woods. It’s a familiar tune, played on what Link recognizes only to be a horseshoe-shaped charm. This is a game, but she can’t hide forever! He has serious work to do!_

_Link wants to call out when he sees a sandal disappears behind another tree. This girl is too fast! When did she get so fast?_

_The tune from the reed charm stutters, a giggle erupting somewhere to his left. His left? Link whirls around to find her: cheeky and in his face. She’s young. Too young, considering they don’t come into these woods until after Link’s first pilgrimage. When was his first pilgrimage again?_

_Ilia taps his shoulder. He’s it._

Link’s head feels fuzzy. Where’d Ilia go? He leans on a nearby tree, a hand on his knee. Who’s Ilia?

_High on a horse, Aunt Gwyn-Li looks down at him disapprovingly. Her hands move curtly, “Do not get cozy yet. There are still monsters up ahead. Remember? The monks said they are everywhere.”_

_Remember? There are monsters everywhere now._

A clawed hand grabs Link’s shoulder. Link pulls the hand to his chest, rolling whoever grabbed him over his shoulder and onto the forest floor. The Bokoblin below him looks up in shock. Link’s shocked as well, but he gives it a finishing blow all the same before he looks around.

_Ilia’s hands moved certainly, begging caution._

Panic rushes through his body. This isn’t supposed to happen. Memories don’t _come_ like this. Either he’s been spacing out in the same spot or he’s been moving… actively chasing Ilia farther into the woods. Where’s Revali?

Blindly, Link spins around the trees, unable to recognize where he is anymore. What happened? What did he do? Revali’s out there-

_Monks flank him as they-_

No! He needs to stay _here_ and find Revali! He can’t get lost in his head again, he needs to focus!

_Footsteps fall somewhere to his west and Link jumps to follow them. They lead him to a small clear with a lake as the central focus. Harker Lake._

_A relieved face looks back at Link as he closes in._ That’s not Revali. _Ilia had lead his horse to the waters’ side for a drink._

_“You’re safe,” she signs with a small smile. Her eyes trail to look in the direction Link had just came from. “They’re all gone?” Link nods and moves to check on Epona. Out of the corner of his eye, he looks Ilia over as well for injury. It seems she was able to ride Epona out of the way just in time._

“Link?!”

_“Do you still want to keep going?” Link finds himself asking in sign. Ilia nods, determined._

“There you are! Have you lost your mind?!” Revali calls, rushing to his side. The image of Ilia and Epona disappears like sand slipping through his fingers.

Link blinks at Revali as he turns towards the Rito. Revali’s bow is drawn, his aim focused on something behind Link. He lets the arrow loose and Link stands perfectly still as it passes by him to land in its target. A heavy thud signals the target as hit.

Owlish eyes meet Revali’s as he approaches the scene. Luckily there aren’t any other monsters in the vicinity. Revali approaches Link slowly, wings spread. He holds his bow loosely in his left wing.

“Link? Do you remember where you are?”

Link blinks again and looks around the woods. Harker Lake. Harker. Link signs: Harker Lake.

“Link, you know I don’t know sign language.”

“Harker Lake,” Link says simply, his voice dry.

Revali steps towards Link and puts his bow down by their feet. “And where is Harker Lake?”

“In Damel Forest…”

Revali wraps a wing tentatively around Link’s shoulders. Link puts a hand on Revali’s chest plate. Found him. Found Revali.

“Is the Spring of Courage close to Damel Forest?”

“Yeah… The spring is in Damel Forest,” Link answers quietly. His eyes trace the air, looking now. Searching. There has to be a reason.

“Link… The children of the forest… are they here now? Are they what you’re chasing?”

Link stiffens. “No. I haven’t seen any…” Link squints around, looking for the signs now. “They’re like memories. But they aren’t. It feels too real-“ Link sags against Revali then, shaking. “I don’t know, Revali. I don’t know what’s happening…”

Revali’s eyes widen. He’s never seen Link like this, shaken and scared. Revali rubs his wing idly up and down Link’s arm. And just like that, Link snaps again.

With a push off of Revali, Link bounces over to the waters’ edge. Idly, he stares at the ground there before he pulls out his Sheikah Slate. A blue glimmer catches Revali’s eye and he looks up.

Just outside the setting sunlight, a figure can be made out in the trees. Her body shimmers a light blue color. Revali takes a glance down to watch Link pull a metal chest out of the water before looking back up again. There’s no one there.

Link drops the chest on the shore, opening it as quickly as he can. Revali watches cautiously as Link pulls out an old blanket from within. Link presses at the center of the blanket and his breath catches. He digs through the folds before pulling out a beaded necklace; a large charm its center piece.

Link holds the charm up to the light, revealing its horseshoe-shape and several holes. Then he pulls the charm to his mouth, blowing over one end of the horseshoe. A low note comes out.

_“It’s my good luck charm. And also my horse whistle. You can use it though: for your first pilgrimage. You need it more than I do today.”_

“Wait, Link. What’s going on? What are you remembering now?” A grounding wing tugs at Link, giving him something to focus on. “You can’t run off again, I won’t let you.”

Link frowns up at Revali. He’s having such a hard time staying grounded. These are his memories…

“It’s a good luck charm,” Link manages, “There’s… I think they’ll lead me to the spring. Just… just let me go…” Link pushes through Revali’s wings then, ambling back through back into the woods.

Revali looks up, the sky above grows darker by the minute.

_Monks flank either side of Link as the three of them head deeper into the woods. It is very early morning, almost too dark to see yet. The monks are wearing large white robes with red accents. Sheikah-esque, but even looser. An eye is prominent on the back of both of their drooping hoods. Long blades stay sheathed on both of the monk’s hips._

_Link is cleansed, head to toe. Though his feet get dirty and cold as he walks the forest floor barefoot. He’s draped in a similar cloth to the monks, white and heavy. The robes drape to the ground and drag, cinched in with a yellow cord at his waist. His hair is loose for once. He carries the lantern so that they can see the way._

At least Link is walking slower now, Revali thinks, as he follows Link’s lead through the woods. He can’t tell if Link is possessed or losing his mind, but they have to get to the bottom of this. Every once and a while a blue light catches Revali’s peripheral, never to be seen head on. 

_The horseshoe charm hangs from the yellow cord, along with a couple of other charms given from the other villagers. An acorn his father had carved for acceptance, delicate and intricate, hangs the lowest from the bunch. Link feels a slight anxiety over it breaking between the thick fabrics of his robes._

_The monks never have to unsheathe their swords. Or, at least, they shouldn’t have had to._

Revali stops Link before he can walk too far into the lair of Lizalfos in front of them. The monsters are sleeping, but they won’t be for long.

_It’s strange to see one of the monks beside him strike down a monster. They’re rare yet, only provoking caution in the farthest reaches. If Link focuses, he can see a blue-feathered wing outstretched on the monk’s arm. It doesn’t make sense, but who is he to question anything. On this very day no less._

_His potential is renowned by now: his time in the squire program letting shine what was once only coveted by the Faron folk. Today marks the last day of his training. Though most will have to wait several more years to graduate. Link is special. He will be allowed to attend as a squire for one of Hyrule’s own knights, privately. It will mark the beginning of his internship. And if all goes as Link thinks it will, that too will be short-lived. His father says the King is already looking to make Link one of the Royal Guard as soon as possible._

_It’s tradition to travel to the Spring of Courage when one is to begin fighting on the battlefield. The Goddess blesses all who pray there with the strength of will to overcome all obstacles._

The spring is gated by a dragonhead. The stone statue is massive, admittedly more impressive than any masonry Revali has seen anywhere else. Once all of the monsters are cleared from the area, Revali follows Link into the mouth. At the other end there is still one Moblin sleeping on the cold stone floor. It stirs as they near and Revali notches another arrow.

_As Link nears the Goddess Statue, the pair of monks turn to face the entrance. One does not watch as another attempts to connect with the Goddess. It isn’t done. They do, however, grant Link his last wishes of good luck before he steps up to the spring._

_He walks slowly into the water. The pedestal of the statue stands up almost to his chest, so Link raises his arms so that he can rest them on the pedestal, his hands free to finger-spell against the smooth stone._

_It’s a slow process, but that’s the way it’s supposed to be. A drawn out speech, spelled out cleanly and clearly with no room for misinterpretation. Link starts his prayer just like the monks had taught him to. “Goddess. I. Am. One. Of. Your. Own.   I. Come. To. Pray. And. Pay. Homage. To. Your. Image.   To. Bask. In. Your. Presence.   And. To. Honor. Your. Word.   Which. Has. Been. Taught. For. The. Generations…”_

_“…Link?”_

_Link starts, pausing his finger-spelling to gawk at the Goddess Statue. It was said to be normal for the Goddess to never respond and that would be okay. She hears all and she blesses all that enter her spring regardless of recognition. But to be recognized… This has never happened to him before._

_“Yes… Goddess. It. Is. I.”_

_“You have been growing well, Link. I have been watching your training.”_

_Link fidgets with his hands. They didn’t teach him the proper etiquette on how to respond to the Goddess’s praise. The roles are being reversed on him._

_“Thank. You.   Your. Praise. Means. Everything.”_

_“I do what I can. But the time is coming, Link. He grows restless and I will be in need of your service once more. Please return from once you’ve came. Your Master Sword is ready for you…”_

_“Master. Sword?   I. Am. Just. A. Squire.”_

_“For now. But in time, you will be the hero Hyrule needs most. Of the three of us, you are the bravest. You barely need my blessing, young one, but you have it. I will continue watching over you. Continue to train, Link. We are all depending on you.”_

_Link wants to continue talking with her. To reason with her. He’s only eleven years old, he can’t provide any service that the Goddess could be of need of! Anyone would be better suited than him. His father, for one! No one is much braver. Link may be brave but… Her essence has already faded from the statue._

_The weight of what he had just been told weighs on Link’s young shoulders. He feels his knees buckle out from under him. He’s going to be the hero Hyrule needs most…_

Link drops into the water suddenly after spending a good half-hour tapping on the foot of the Goddess Statue.

“Good Goddess!” Revali shouts as he watches Link drop. He then rushes to the Hylian’s side. Link lies in the shallow water and Revali quickly picks his head up, cradling Link’s upper body to himself.

Link’s breathing is even, but he’s passed out cold. Revali tries to pat and nudge him awake, but Link doesn’t show a sign of waking up any time soon. He’ll have to wait even longer now for any answers. Kneeling in the water, Revali looks up at the Goddess Statue. What is it here that did this?

A glimmer of blue light blinks at the elbow of the Goddess. Revali focuses on the light and to his surprise, the girl from earlier reforms. She floats down to where Revali kneels, still cradling Link like a child.

“Who are you?” he asks, a tint of wonderment to his tone.

Instead of acknowledging the question, the girl leans over Link. Reaching out a transparent hand, she gently fiddles with the charm at the end of the necklace Link had dug up earlier. As her fingers go through the charm, a few loose notes blow through. Off-key and shallow.

Her face is sad. She pulls away from them, offers a single wave of her hand in parting, and then she disappears back into the thin air. A chill thrills through Revali’s bones, though it has nothing to do with the water him and Link are still knelt in.

When Link wakes up again it is early morning. In front of him is a pile of smoldering wood and around him are a pleasant array of feathers and fabric. A familiar comfort now, Link rubs his face contently into one of Revali’s wings. He isn’t sure what happened last night, but Revali stayed by him the whole time. He’s certain of that much.

“Mm… It’s too early… Go back to sleep…” Revali mutters, squeezing Link and shoving his beak against the top of Link’s head. Surely creating more knots in his hair with the motion. Link chuckles and shoves back into the comfortable embrace.

Revali groans and rolls, laying them down on the ground, where they previously had been leaning up against a wall apparently. Link grunts with the impact, but Revali remains uncaring.

“Swhat you get… Causing me so much trouble last night. Only way to make sure you didn’t run off… Lucky I didn’t tie you down…” Revali says gruffly into Link’s ear. Suddenly this is too much for Link to handle anymore.

Feeling too warm, Link shuffles out of Revali’s wings. He takes in deep breaths of the spring air. They hadn’t gone far: making camp right behind the Goddess Statue.

Grumbly and tired, Revali sits up again. “Fine, have it your way. You always do…” Revali complains as he rubs the sleep from his eyes. Link tilts an eyebrow Revali’s way, but decides to let it go. He’s starting to piece together what all he can remember, which isn’t a whole lot of how they actually got here, but rather a collection of memories from his old life when he traveled here before.

Leaving a rather noticeable gap in the details from the actual trip here last night.

“Here… You must be starving. Have a skewer. I’ve got some baked apples here too…” Revali offers Link, already holding out a mushroom skewer Link’s way. Grateful, Link bows his head a couple times as he takes the food.

It’s only after the skewer is cleaned and a baked apple is finished off before Link realizes that Revali hasn’t been doing or saying anything. Looking up shyly, Link notices Revali staring at him.

“So?” Revali asks, still obviously tired, “What do you remember?”

Link winces. He remembers a lot. Though the conversation with the Goddess was the most catching bit…

Revali shifts, leaning his head on one of his wings. “You were so out of it yesterday. What happened, Link? I saw some things, but I can’t be sure. I’d rather hear it from you than just assume… Though maybe my assumptions wouldn’t be so off base…”

Link frowns. Where should he start? “What… What did _you_ see?”

Revali groans. Obviously not the answer he was looking for. “I don’t know, Link. You were wild last night, blinding following whatever had your attention. I think I saw a ghost? But I can’t be sure. It could have been anything-“

“A ghost?”

“Yeah, a Hylian girl, I think. About our age. She was there when you got that necklace out of the water. And then she was here when you passed out.”

“Was she pretty?” Link asks, surprising a chuckle out of Revali.

“I suppose? She sort of looked like you. Only her hair was wavier.” Revali admires how easily the comparison warms the tips of Link’s ears. Ever since Gerudo, Link can’t seem to get any control over his embarrassment.

“Sounds like Ilia…” Link says distractedly, his hands flipping another baked apple back and forth.

Revali tilts his head. “Who’s Ilia?”

The Sheikah Slate buzzes and vibrates, having been left over where they were sleeping. Revali’s face lights up and he pulls the Slate to him.

“I told them we had arrived at the spring last night,” Revali fills Link in as he fiddles with Message rune, “They must have just now decided to respond.”

Link rubs his head, thoughts of Rito Village already filling his head again. “We still need to travel up to-“

“There’s still plenty of time,” Revali assures him, his eyes still glued to the screen, “They say Naboris is still in the general part of the desert it had been. It will take it at least a week for it to reach the town, so we don’t have to rush for they’re sakes. If that’s what you’re thinking.”

“What about Vah Medoh?”

“The Rito are fine,” Revali bluffs, waving a wing off the idea. He would like to return home, yes, but Link needs this trip. Ghost possession or not, what Link’s learned about his past is already invaluable to his wellbeing. And they still haven’t gotten anywhere near a place that would be suitable for ranching.

“Revali?” Link asks quietly, distracting Revali from Mipha’s moving text. When he looks up, he finds Link’s eyes starting to line with tears.

He sets the Slate down in a heartbeat and opens his wings for Link to crawl back into. Hesitant, Link stays sat for a moment before he comes to settle in Revali’s wings.

“…you don’t need to be so nice to me…” Link mumbles after a couple of moments of quiet.

Revali hums and threads his beak through Link’s hair, mussing it up again. He has to unthread it then to reply, “Not sure I know what you mean.”

Link pushes away to look Revali in the eyes, “You haven’t… been yourself. You keep doing stuff… I don’t get it. You wanted to take me right back to the Rito Village when we were in Lanayru. What changed?”

Revali hums again, cradling Link closer. He threads and unthreads his beak through different strands of Link’s hair before he answers, “I suppose my perspective. Of our situations. Of the importance of our missions. Medoh is important, but I’d rather have Urbosa then not… That isn’t something I used to feel. There’s been a lot of reasons, Link,” Revali shrugs, “I’ve changed. The way you lot used to complain, you’d think that that would be a welcomed event.”

Link tsks, but doesn’t have anything to actually add to the discussion. Revali’s allowed to change. To become a better person and to find the value in other people. Maybe Link doesn’t like that though because… he hasn’t really changed at all. Not really.

If anything, he’s reverting to who he was before the final battle…

“Link? Still there?”

Distant-feeling, Link nods and frowns. This is what it used to feel like. To have the weight of the world on his shoulders… _We are all depending on you._

Link shakes his head and pulls out from Revali’s wings again. They need to get a move on so that they can get to Rito Village as soon as possible. Revali obviously isn’t going to rush it, but Link knows he has to be dying to get to go back home. Link wouldn’t blame him for feeling like that.

If only he’d voice it so that Link could know for sure.

Revali still has camp to clear up and messages to respond to. Then he insists on refreshing his feathers in the spring before they leave. Link’s almost positive that cleaning yourself in the spring is a big no-no of some kind, but he can’t be bothered to correct Revali.

Instead, Link heads back over to the Goddess Statue while he waits. Might as well check in with the Head Boss. See if there’s anything new and pressing she has to say.

“Goddess.” Link spells out on the pedestal, a small smile forming on his lips. It feels so weird now to do it this way, after all this time of praying through thought alone. “I. Am. One. Of. Your-“

“Please, Link. You above all can be relieved of the formalities…” The Goddess answers, her tone almost teasingly understanding. She continues, her tone flattening into a more informative voice, “You have come to the Spring of Courage. A great bounty can be given here to only the bravest of souls. Offer Farosh’s scale, received from the golden spirit, to the Spring of Courage. Then your bounty will appear…”

“Thank. You…” Link taps out, but it probably doesn’t matter. The presence of the Goddess faded shortly after her final words. So there is even more to do here than he had thought. Farosh’s scale, received from the golden spirit… Where is he going to have to look to find a golden spirit?

When Link turns, he finds Revali kneeling in the water with his top pieces off. Link feels immature when his mind inappropriately makes the connection that Revali looks like a bird in an oversized birdbath. Revali’s eye catches Link as the Hylian stands there, a hand splayed over his smiling face.

Revali smirks in Link’s direction, catching the Hylian off-guard. “Care to join? Your hair could use some work.”   

Instinctively, Link wants to decline, but when his hand comes up to feel his grimy hair, he knows he can’t rightly refuse. He starts pulling his hood off as he walks around the edge of the water and sets it down next to where Revali had put all his grooming gear.

After Link strips the rest of the way, he steps into the shallow water next to Revali. The next moment a pair of wings uncup an unholy amount of water over his head, leaving Link sputtering.

Revali chuckles, unapologetic, “Sorry. I couldn’t resist.”

Link splashes Revali with a light slap on the water, getting only a portion of his deserved revenge.

“Okay, okay. Let me make it up. Lay down, I’ll deal with that bird’s nest you’ve got…”

Appeased by the offer, Link lays down in the water and tilts his head back so that his hair floats around his head. He can tell his elbows are going to hurt after awhile, but Link stays still as Revali starts working some of the soap into his scalp. After all the pressure that had been forming in Link’s head, the massage is a welcomed compromise.

“You never did answer… Who is Ilia?”  

Link groans, wishing he didn’t have to think about that right now, “I don’t-“

“You don’t have to tell me,” Revali assures, squeezing along the base of Link’s skull, “It’s been a trying time. Tell me what you want to tell me. How about that?”

That answer only brings out more questions though.

Chewing over Revali’s words, Link carefully answers, “You’re allowed to be pushy, Revali. I’m… used to it from you. If you want to know about Ilia, I’ll tell you.”

Revali pauses his wingtips. “…are you sure?”

Link hums agreeably and starts, “I think she was a childhood friend. We’d come here sometimes. I knew her for a long time…

“She let me borrow that charm. It was hers, but for the phil- pilgrimage. She let me borrow it.” Revali starts combing through Link’s hair as Link continues to tell Revali as much as he can from last night. It’s a slow process, but Revali works through each of Link’s knots carefully. Never pulling too hard. Meanwhile, Link mutters his experiences from last night, a quiet humming sound to accompany the work. It brings a new kind of peacefulness for both of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I know this chapter is a bit different, but I hope the change of pace is cool! The idea of ghosts are highly underdeveloped in Botw, so I thought I'd incorporate it. Twilight Princess is actually my favorite Legend of Zelda game. So this is a homage chapter I suppose. 
> 
> I'm over on tumblr as well under this same username. I've got some chapter covers for this story and I send out updates for when I upload. And if you just wanna chat about the story or whatever, it's cool to message me there :) 
> 
> Next chapter should be coming next Tuesday, so I'll see you guys then! <3


	32. Lake

Revali waits for Link at the entrance of the spring.

“Where to now?”

With a final glance back at the Goddess statue, Link approaches Revali and leads him out. Monster parts are spread periodically through the grass as they walk back through the open area. Broken but beautiful architecture surrounds them. Link remembers now what it all used to look like.

Link stops Revali out in the middle, turning in one spot to get a good view of everything around them. Most of it: torn to pieces.

“Are we still not going to Rito Village?” Link asks hoarsely, having spent the last hour talking almost nonstop.

Revali wants to roll his eyes. “No. We aren’t.” Link stands there, contemplating. Then, decisive, he marches back to the forests they had come from last night. Revali keeps an eye out for any more ghosts as he follows.

It takes them a good portion of the early, dewy morning before finding the trail again. Without hesitation, Link turns westward. But something was still nagging at the back of Revali’s mind.

“Wait, so the Goddess said you were the bravest of the three of them… Who are ‘they’ exactly?” Link shrugs, looking down to earth and humble in the scattered sunlight thrown through the forest canopy. It only makes Revali more curious. “But you were able to talk to her today?”

“Yeah. I used the old praying technique for the Spring of Courage,” Link laughs then, oddly, “She didn’t like it.”

Revali arches an eyebrow. “Is that all She had to say?”

Link shakes his head, “She told me to offer a scale to the spring. The scale has to be from some sort of golden spirit.”

“Vague as everything else then…”

Link nods in agreement. After another moment passes, Link speaks up, “Last night reminded me. I still need to find the Master Sword again.”

Right. Revali frowns Link’s way. He hasn’t thought about that in ages, but the Master Sword is vital in their plans of defeating Ganon. “She said to find it in the place you had came from. Do you suppose it will be close to where we’re going?”

“In Faron?” Link frowns, “No. That’s not… She wouldn’t have meant there.”

The answer seems sudden to Revali. “No? You’re sure?”

Link shuffles through his things before pulling out his Soldier’s Helm. “I got one of my earliest memories from this. It was when my father adopted me.”

“Adopted-?”

Link nods, examining the helm as they walk. “He found me along the road. I don’t think it was anywhere near here. Faron is too… flat,” He glances over at Revali, “If I’m ‘from’ anywhere, it would be there.”

Bemused, Revali gaps at Link before recomposing himself. “And you got all of that from the helm? I… What do you mean ‘Faron is too flat’, have you not seen-?” Revali gestures at the scenery behind them.

This sparks another laugh out of Link and he shakes his head. “You’ll see. What I can remember of the ranch… The land will change.”

Unsure what to think, Revali eyes the helm before Link goes to put it away again. Is it too late to confess to buying it? Would that make it weird? The whole deal with the armor probably seemed weird anyway from Link’s point of view…

There’s a shrine in the forest, which they complete. It’s along the way. Why not. Pumaaq Nitae repays them for their time and for some itching reason, Revali thinks it’s probably more pressing than ever for Link to find these shrines. Link’s endurance is noticeably improving with every prayer answered.

It isn’t until they clear the forests that Revali sees what Link meant. Once out of the woods, reasonably flat land stretches on for ages. Green grass, with horses roaming freely out in the middle of everything. A happy stable is down south, bustling with people. In the distance he can make out the mountains bordering the Gerudo deserts. Revali guesses sometimes the grass actually is greener on the other side.

Link feels like his breath is taken away. The land here is so empty. He knew it. Knew that it would be empty, like the forests were empty. He just didn’t think… didn’t want to think.

Why did they have to come out here?

The presence of Ilia’s charm feels heavy on Link’s chest. There’s a stable off to the south. The south where there used to be a group of homesteads. The south where there used to be a small community, just the ranchers and farmers. But there aren’t any farms here now. The land looks absolutely baron.

Link’s eyes follow the path they’re on north. Ahead, there’s a tall brick structure. It feels familiar.

“Link? Do you need a minute?”

Link’s eyes travel over to where Revali’s concerned ones are on him. Revali worries too much about him. As Link passes Revali, he puts a hand reassuringly on his wing. He lets it drag as his feet carry him to the stone archway. Revali shouldn’t have to be worried over Link, though Link can’t blame him. He’s been acting pretty odd these last few… Well for a pretty long time now actually. For another time, Link wishes they could just go to Rito Village. If only so that the focus won’t be on himself so much anymore.

Revali follows after him, promptly sticking to Link’s side like glue.

Scanning the scenery, Revali notices the Great Plateau in the distance. What’s in front of them, it’s most likely that giant lake with the bridge through it. By the giant archway, there’s a regional tower as well. Though Revali had thought they’d be admiring the plains more. Maybe find an old rundown ranch to remanence about? He isn’t complaining, but he had thought there would be more time spent in Link’s old childhood home.

Well, maybe he’s complaining a little. He supposes some part of him had been excited for that. To see where his… partner had grown up. Is it wrong to call it a partnership if one isn’t in the know? Probably. Revali should just stop using that word. That would be for the best.

It’s silent again as they approach the bridge. Monsters block the way and guard the path up to the tower. Clearing the area will take time, but for once it feels like they have time to kill. So they kill it by killing monsters.

From there they spend the majority of their day cleaning the surrounding area up. It isn’t much other than strategy and follow-through, but it almost feels reassuring. As Link goes through the motions, he starts feeling more like himself. More in control of the environment around him.

The slaughter ends once they can easily access the tower. Up at the top, Link sets the Slate into its slot while Revali starts a little campfire. All this monster killing makes a person hungry.

“Can I have the pot? I’ll even warm something up for you if you sit still while we wait.”

Link huffs a laugh as he pulls the Slate away from the tower’s pedestal. “I cooked provisions. But sure, take the pot.”

“I will,” Revali answers matter-of-factly, catching the pot easily when Link chucks it his way. His shoulder complains as the weight of the pot pulls. “Ouf, _why_ are you like this? Please, do tell, sometimes I forget what a hot mess you are. And then you run through the woods in a trance or forget to bathe for weeks on end. Now you’re throwing cooking pots…” Revali continues to grumble over Link’s lack of proper behavior as he sets the pot up over the fire.

Link just grins, plopping a seat opposite of Revali. He pulls out a pre-made meal, watching as Revali starts cooking. The Rito hasn’t really gotten that much better at cooking. It’s just been awhile since Revali’s burnt anything.

“You think I’m hot?” Link asks cheekily, rising his eyebrows repeatedly when Revali takes the moment to glare up at him.

“That is hardly a compliment. Being called a walking disaster. Should I spell it out for you?”

Link swallows his bite full before answering, “No, a _hot_ disaster. I do walk though. Check these gams.” Link sticks his one leg out proudly, pointing the toe to best show off the curve of his relaxed calf.

Revali nods, indeed appreciating the shapeliness of said gam. “Warranted, you do have nice legs, but that is neither here nor there-“

“But it is up for discussion,” Link says pointedly. He feels so much better after all the fighting and then coming up here. Revali also seems off-guard by Link’s teasing, making the moment even more enjoyable.

Revali’s beak clacks uselessly as he processes Link’s new mood. Cheeky little brat.

For a moment, Revali stirs his ingredients around. The smell of seasoned fish cooking coils around them both. He can’t let this sit, least Link take his place as the cockiest of the Champions. That just wouldn’t do.  

Determined, Revali sets the ladle aside so that he can scoot around to the offending foot that Link had so rudely lifted a moment ago. Link watches him from the corner of his eye, set on continuing to enjoy his meal in peace.

That is, until Revali grabs the leg in question, raising it back into the air again. Higher than it had once been. Link yelps as the pull pulls on areas that shouldn’t be pulled on.

Taking on an admiring tone, Revali gushes, “You know what, _this is_ a rather admirable leg. And _would you look at the flexibility on it_ ,” Revali tugs, pulling the foot higher still, making Link lay flat on his side. Luckily, Link was almost finished with his meal anyways. The leftovers clack to the floor with the impact.

Revali pushes the leg further up still, holding Link’s other leg down with his free wing. “Absolutely amazing. If I could rip this leg off and keep it for myself- Oh wait.” Link’s eyes widen at the evil intent there.

In a rush, Link whips his possessed leg from Revali’s reaches. However, Revali retaliates by grabbing at it again, but even higher up this time. The next several moments are spent with Link writhing to get out of Revali’s grasp, with Revali only finding more creative solutions to keeping the desired leg spread as far from the other as possible.

Finally, the wrestling ends when Link goes on the offensive. He easily tilts the Rito by his narrow hips, maneuvering the maned-leg out of Revali’s grasp and using it to brace the offending wing down onto the floor.

The force knocks a little of Revali’s breath away, and he huffs as Link stares down at him. If Revali wasn’t too careful, his beak could knock into something a little too close for comfort. A weird sort of tension falls as neither of them moves.

“So-?” Revali huffs, keeping his head tilted up high, “How much?”

“For what?” Link asks, puzzled. Revali tries to reach up to retch Link’s leg off, but Link knocks the wing away lightly.

“For that gam,” Revali points instead, “I rather like it if that wasn’t clear.”

Link’s cheeks warm up. “Oh. Not for sale.”

“No? Not even just the one? I’ll do anything,” Revali adds leeringly. Revali eyes the leg in question, searching upwards until he is most certainly not looking at Link’s leg anymore. Link’s face gets warmer and he looks up and away, needing to catch his breath as well now. He freezes when he sees something over in the lake.

Seeing Link tense up, Revali back-pedals, “Was that too much? I’m sorry, that was crass. You can say it, it’s fine. Just get off and we can forget it-“ Link slaps at Revali’s beak idly as he slowly gets off, his eyes still stuck on the lake. Sitting down by Revali’s torso, he points out into the distance.

Curious, Revali leans up on his wings to get a good look.

Rising from the lake, the head of a massive creature appears. The neck continues after it, rising and rising until Revali can only assume that the neck is really just a continuation of the beast itself. It looks like what the statues at the spring must have been representative of.

“A dragon…” Revali blurts out, amazed. Link nods, never looking away from the spectacle.

The dragon floats gracefully in the air, nothing holding it airborne but the assumption that magic is at play. Light green scales cover it, but when the light hits it just right… The dragon turns a lovely golden color. Revali and Link watch it, completely entranced, as the dragon makes its way through the sky. Completely unperturbed by the world around it.

Revali whispers as the dragon dips back into the water again, “Do you think that’s the spirit the Goddess had mentioned?”

“Farosh?”

“I could believe it…”

Link hums in agreement, not once looking away from the dragon. After what feels like ages, and yet not long enough, Farosh starts heading off towards the Faron Woods.

Amazed, Revali turns to Link, “And you’re expected to get one of his scales? What, will you just happen upon him with an opportunity to tear the thing right off? Excuse me, but I don’t think that will be much appreciated.”

As much as Link would hate to agree, Revali’s right. How is he meant to get a scale from such a grand beast? Link has a feeling if he were to get within even sword-arm’s distance, the dragon would fry him within a blink of an eye. Why did the Goddess think so highly of him?

Then a bitter thought strikes. Everyone thought that highly of him. Even at his youngest age, Link was expected to do great things. The king was looking to make him part of the Royal Guard right out of the squire program. Maybe it’s because he was gifted, that made them think he was always bound to do great things.

And then the Goddess told him to go find the Master Sword. Link’s almost sure he knows where that had been now. Once he got that… He had been destined to defeat Ganon. Suddenly the levity of that strikes him again.

Out beyond the Hyrule Lake, past The Great Plateau, Link can just make out the twirling energy around Hyrule Castle.

Sadly, Revali watches as Link’s face falls from elated to devastated. Following Link’s line of sight, Revali concludes that it must have something to do with the castle. Revali sighs. He can’t fault Link. He can’t fault him in any of this, even though he wants to. He wants to shake the Hylian out of it and make him go back to how he was just moments ago. Rolling around, arguing over something petty. Something inappropriate.

They’re both just kids. It’s not fair.

It’s never been fair. Revali can’t think of a time in his whole adolescence that fairness had even been a question in his mind. But he’s thinking it now. Oh, and does it burn to think that it wasn’t fair for him. Let alone how it must feel to be Link…

Revali’s never felt like he’s understood Link more.

_The feeling of her skin was soft and luxurious. Urbosa breathed warmly on her neck, waking up slowly from the deep sleep she had been sent into the night before._

_Slowly, Zelda raised her head, looking behind herself at Urbosa. She smiled, seeing Urbosa look up at her bashfully. “Morning, dove.”_

_“Sav’otta vevhi…”_

_“You are the younger one here, Urbosa. If any is a child, it’s you,” Zelda teased her, rolling over in Urbosa’s arms to face her. Easily, Urbosa nuzzled her face into the space next to Zelda’s neck. Still sleepy, all Urbosa could wrap her mind around was how nicely their bodies melded together._

_Zelda, however, seemed to have other plans in mind. “So you agree that we have nothing to hide? Imagine it. We could make our alliance stronger than ever…”_

_Urbosa groaned into Zelda’s neck. “We’ve_ talked _about this,” Urbosa started as she pulled herself reluctantly away, “We cannot let our people down. I? I have Koriga if nothing comes to play, but you? You have to have an heir, darling. You will be granting a disservice to all of Hyrule if you end the magical lineage…”_

 _“You_ know _nothing will come play because you do not look for any_ voe _to play_ with, _” Zelda countered, ignoring Urbosa’s second point, “But you have me and I have you. I do not want for anyone else.”_

_“But you have, and you will if you ever live to regret never continuing the line. Who will protect Hyrule once you’re gone?”_

_“Do you wish I was gone?”_

_Urbosa’s eyes lit at the implication. “You know-“_

_“But do I?” Zelda pleaded, tearing up, “Every turn, you are just looking for an excuse to place me out of reach. But I’m here and I want never to leave your side. So please, stop trying to leave me behind…”_

_“Zelda, this isn’t fair…”_

_“You think of me as childish…”_

_“I don’t.” Zelda looked up at her suspiciously. Gently, Urbosa moved a strand of hair back behind Zelda’s ear. “I don’t. I just wish you would be more reasonable. This isn’t made to last…”_

_Suddenly, Zelda rolled out of Urbosa’s arms and off of the bed. She stood elegantly, a light white bed sheet barely covering her naked body. “Urbosa of the Gerudo, I promise you what we have can be made to last. I promise you and I will make it so because I am a Princess of all of Hyrule and heir to the throne. As Queen I can have and be whatever I want to and what I want is for you never to feel like you can’t be with me. The people have no say in who I see and as Queen, no one’s authority is higher than mine._

_“The only person whose opinion that matters in this is yours, Urbosa… I believe I can appease both my court and yourself. I’m offering only all of myself for you to love, so please correct me if I’m wrong. But I believe that that could be enough.”_

_Out of breath, Zelda huffed quickly while Urbosa stared on. She could already see every ounce of the queen that Zelda was meant to be, shining through._

_“What are you proposing, my princess?”_

_Zelda sat quickly on the edge of the bed, leaning forward excitedly, “Be my mistress, Urbosa. Visit me, like you do. Love me, please continue to love me as I love you. We can sort it out. No king could ever separate us, dove. Let me worry about it, you know it’s my duty. But I’ll always continue to worry over you like I do as well, so please let me continue to love you too.”_

Urbosa looks up at the ceiling, blinking slowly. It’s been a couple weeks now since they’ve first come to Gerudo Town. Her head feels like it could burst and her chest feels like it already has. Multiple times.

Did she give in to such a childish person? Obviously, the old Queen had Urbosa wrapped around her finger. Zelda had married then, a man no more worthy of Zelda’s time than Urbosa was. Bosphoramus at least seemed like a gentle soul when Urbosa had met him on the Plateau, but how much of him had rounded, like a rock rolling on the ocean floor, before she was able to see him next?

Regardless, Zelda had had her. She had had her and Urbosa can’t even work up the nerve to be upset about it. She’s too happy to be indignant. They had loved and loved truly. Openly.

And while the revelations of their relationship were encouraging, it only makes Urbosa more curious. What had become of her Zelda? How exactly is the heartache supposed to crack? One day she knows she’ll find her answer. Urbosa feels like she’s never had to wait for the other shoe to drop like she does now.

Maybe Urbosa is the one who is childish. This whole business feels unfair with nothing to alleviate the symptoms. The only thing that might bring her some reprieve is knowing… that the thing that brought all this unjustness will be dead very soon. And by her hands no less.

“…Auntie?”

Urbosa snaps out of it when a gentle voice calls for her by the entrance. She leans up casually to find a tired Makeela, a plush sandseal tight to her chest, dressed in her sleeping clothes. The black darkness of the outside world seems more pressing now than it had earlier.

Urbosa reaches out for her great-niece, her voice soothing as she beckons, “Can’t you sleep either, vevhi? Come, maybe sleep will come to us both easier with someone else close by.”

“Patricia’s really really good, but she snores so loudly sometimes…” Makeela grumbles as she pulls herself up into the royal bed. The bed that she herself had occupied for the majority of the year before Urbosa had returned.

“That silly sandseal. We will have to find her a pillow to incline her head on.”

“Sandseals don’t need pillows…”

“Maybe yours does,” Urbosa counters, shifting comfortably so that they can share the bed.

“Uhuh… Sav’orr Auntie...”

Urbosa laughs lightly, “ _Sav’orr_ Makeela… Sweet dreams.”

The next morning, Buliara wakes them for their morning debriefing and breakfast. Diligently, she leads Makeela down to her room to get dressed. Urbosa gets ready quickly, applying makeup and dressing her hair with practiced ease.

Downstairs, Daruk is already waiting for her. He nibbles on a selection of rocks without holding back on his outward distain.

“Gravel not up to your standards this morning?”

“Hard to appreciate anything else now that I know what home tastes like,” Daruk grumbles, shoving the last lump in his mouth. Next to his tray of assorted rocks is another tray full of light breakfast foods. Plenty of fruit and half a loaf of bread.

Urbosa comes to sit next to Daruk, happily plucking up a voltfruit. Her research said that a diet rounded by voltfruit and other electro-repulsives will help her body take on the force of her inherited magic.

Absently, Urbosa flexes the fingers on her burnt hand. The skin is still sensitive and new, but she’s been able to pick things up now with it. Soon she’ll be back to sword fighting.

Mipha takes almost an hour to arrive at the throne room, but her face is grave when she finally enters. In her hands she has her Sheikah Messenger.

Daruk is the first to speak as Mipha comes to sit by them, “Is everything alright?”

Mipha starts, looking up at Daruk in surprise, “Oh! Well, I suppose… I… I’m not too sure honestly.”

“What don’t you know?” Urbosa asks, trying to lead Mipha to her point. Sometimes in her reluctance, she works herself up over inconsequential issues.   

“Link and Revali,” Mipha answers, suddenly sure, “They haven’t answered back since they arrived at the Spring of Courage. And even that correspondence was brief. Revali stopped answering halfway through the conversation…”

“You said,” Urbosa remembers, this being something that Mipha had brought up almost a week ago. “If they haven’t answered back by now, then that could be a troubling omen…”

“Or they might just have forgot. They’re busy out there, combing the area for clues. Monsters are aplenty out in Hyrule. I wouldn’t be surprised if they just got caught up in the adventure…” Daruk musses, giving Mipha a reassuring look.

Mipha, however, doesn’t relax at the thought. “I’ve tried contacting them a couple of times since that conversation. At different times of day as well. Surely, Link would have noticed the messages by now…”

“You’re worried that something happened to one or both of them,” Urbosa states plainly, and honestly is starting to feel the pang of worry herself.

“Right.”

Urbosa motions for Mipha to hand the large pocket watch over. “Here, let me see.”

Immediately, Urbosa is greeted by a wall of Mipha’s messages. Each one more passive than the last.

**M: How is the Spring?**

**M: Please send an update when you can.**

**M: When possible, we’d like to know how your journey is going.**

**M: We hope you are doing well.**

**M: If you are free, please respond.**

**M: We have found a handful of shrines to go through for when your exploration of Faron is over.**

**M: We’d like to hear how you two are faring.**

**M: Please send word back when you can.**

Urbosa frowns up at Mipha. “If I send a message and they report back this day, you are legally allowed to beat them to death within the confines of this town.”

Mipha smiles weakly at Urbosa’s tone, but Urbosa means it truthfully. There better be something wrong for how much Mipha has obviously been concerned.

**U: Report your progress immediately or else.**

Off in the not so distant land of Faron, an unwitting boy’s Sheikah Slate vibrates. He flies, several hundreds of leagues in the air, alongside his Rito companion. Both in a futile pursuit of a massive dragon just passing over the great Lake Hylia.

When the dragon again alludes the two Champions, they convey on the new side of the lake they designated to explore today: the North-east side.

They land gently by a large, gnarly tree, which provides great cover from the hot midday sun.

Link’s shoulders and arms ache from paragliding nonstop for days on end, with nothing to show for it. Getting close to the dragon feels more and more like a pipedream with each day that passes.

They slump by the tree, but Revali hums when he notices something beside him on the left. Curious, Link leans around Revali to see what’s up. Instantly he recognizes the little statues that resemble the line of statues from Kakariko Village. One apple offering is already in a dish.

“Have to make an offering at ever statue you see…” Revali jokes as Link shuffles through his storage. He keeps a stash of apples just for this kind of thing.

“If it’s another Korok, you’ll have to eat your scarf,” Link replies seriously as he sets the apple in the second dish.

Revali laughs, “Like I’d take that bet. The world favors you, golden boy. I am only a meager Champion, here to support your grand endeavors. Chances are that you would win, no matter what the bet.”

Just as Revali finishes his rant, a Korok pops into existence. They happily hand Link a seed and Link cheekily wiggles the seed in Revali’s face before putting it away.

“See what I mean? I may not be the Hero of Legend, but I’m no idiot.”

Frowning, Link takes in the tree and statues while Revali continues his chatter. It was starting to get annoying for Link at this point, but he knows Revali can’t handle the silence for long. Better to let Revali get whatever off his chest in the moment then have an inane argument where Link actually has to participate.

This tree is interesting though. If he didn’t know better…

Revali watches as Link completely ignores his rambling, choosing instead to pull out the Sheikah Slate. Revali isn’t even talking anymore, but Link motions for him to stop and come look at the screen. Groaning in loud complaint, Revali gets up to see what has Link’s attention. He peaks over Link’s shoulder and sees the same tree and statues on the screen. The Bridge of Hylia stands out in the background.

Already, Link’s eyes are glazed over as he remembers an ancient memory. Revali frowns, looking around but feeling nothing. Whatever happened here, it must have been a moment between only Link and Zelda.

_Link practiced his swings while the rain poured around them. No use moving forward, only to be pounced on by monsters who would have an advantage in the slippery terrain. At least here in this isolated area, Link stood a good chance of protecting the Princess with mild difficulty._

_Still, the rain was horrible. While Link practiced, Zelda sat up against the tree behind him._

_“I doubt this will let up anytime soon…” She spoke. Her voice as polite and clear as ever. Link payed her little attention as his sword reps required presence of mind. Still, he kept an ear out as she continued to speak to him. “Your path seems to mirror your father’s. You’ve dedicated yourself to becoming a knight, as well. Your commitment to the training necessary is quite admirable.”_

_Link finished his last set, deciding to let the training rest as Zelda seemed persistent in talking with him. He turned toward her as she continued, “I can see now why you would be the chosen one.”_

_It wasn’t often that Zelda was open to talking like this. Though recently she had become more open than she once had been. Link watched her carefully. Her face seemed bitter-sweet, if not sadly resigned._

_“What if… One day… You realized you weren’t meant to be a fighter. Yet the only thing people ever said… was that you were born into a family of the royal guard, and so no matter what you thought… you had to become a knight.”_

_Her words hit close to home, though he knew she was truly talking about herself. It seemed almost selfish of her, but he would allow it. Had no choice to._

_Link kept his face schooled while she talked on. “If that was the only thing you were ever told… I wonder then… would you have chosen a different path?”_

Old anxiety wells up in Link’s chest. He lets out a breath he didn’t know he’d been holding, taking reassurance in the grounding feeling of Revali’s wing around his shoulders.

“Back in the present, are we?” Revali asks quietly. Link nods. The subdued feelings of unfairness creep back up in his chest, forgotten during the chase of the lake dragon.

Revali squints at the Slate. A reminder of a message received had popped up, but the handle wasn’t the normal one. It was Urbosa this time.

“What does Urbosa want?” Revali asks, shocking Link out of rush of pressure.

Link frowns at the reminder as it pushes out of their view. He flips through the panels, pausing only when the messenger comes up.

 **U:** **Report your progress immediately or else.**  

Link’s face pales as he views the message.  

Revali’s eyebrows jump and he laughs nervously. “It’s your fault, you deal with it!”

Link turns to Revali, astounded. He doesn’t even feel like a reply is necessary, considering it was Revali’s idea to not respond until they had taken the scale to the spring.

“Don’t look at me like that. Your Slate, your problem.”

Link shoves the Slate into Revali’s wings suddenly, much to Revali’s dismay.

“No, no I won’t do it! Take it, take it-!”

“She’s mad because of you-!”

The pair of Champions fight over the Slate, pushing it back and forth between themselves before it almost slips out of both of their hands. Frantically, they grapple with the Slate before it has a chance to slide down into the waters of Lake Hylia.

Slowly, they pull the Slate back, but Revali pushes it back into Link’s hands with a cough. Link glares at Revali who only answers back with batting eyelashes. With a sigh, Link takes the Sheikah Slate over to the tree so that they can at least sit down before they both are murdered via a sharp tongue lashing.

The three Champions in Gerudo Town stiffen in their throw cushions when Mipha’s messenger vibrates. Daruk starts to chortle as the two women glare down at the screen in front of them.

**HK: We have been okay. Have been chasing down an ancient dragon.**

Of all the things. Urbosa could kill those boys.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Revali did burn his fish then. 
> 
> Next chapter comes out next Tuesday!   
> Hope you guys liked the latest update! <3


	33. Wasteland

“An ancient… dragon?” Mipha puzzles over the messenger while Urbosa taps angrily at the screen. Daruk shrugs her way and they wait patiently for more information.

**HK: The Goddess told us to bring its scale back to the spring.**

**HK: We’ve been trying to for days. We can’t get close.**

Urbosa continues to tap, letting Mipha and Daruk chatter between themselves.

“Whatever it is they’re up to, sounds exciting,” Daruk says, leaning Mipha’s way.

Mipha nods, looking thoughtful. “That would explain why they hadn’t replied. Revali said they would send word when they were done with the spring.”

Urbosa hisses, “That doesn’t mean they were right to wait a week before responding. They could have spared a moment to reply. Not even one message…” She grumbles as she continues to tell the boys what for.

“Well,” Mipha starts, a small smirk forming on her mouth, “They might have also been preoccupied with… more recreational exploits on top of their dragon hunting. That… That is to say,” she falters when faced with a curious look from Daruk, “that I wouldn’t be surprised if there was more to it than that.”

Urbosa raises an eyebrow Mipha’s way. “That was… oddly put. Wish to share something with the group?”

Mipha blushes, looking back and forth between her two friends. “I-I. I didn’t mean-“

The messenger buzzes, making Urbosa glance down again. “Link says they will be heading out to Rito Village since the dragon hunting has been going so poorly. He also listed off some supplies they can pick up from Faron, if anyone’s interested?”

They take a moment to look over the list, and politely request some supplies before Daruk turns his attention back to Mipha.

“So Sister, what do you know? You have been saying cryptic pieces like that earlier ever since they left. There has to be a reason.”

“…cryptic? I wouldn’t say…” Mipha startles, trailing as Urbosa gives her an eyeful.

“Do not lie, you know something. I wasn’t going to prod, I have my own guesses. But since Daruk is asking…” Urbosa gestures at Mipha to say what’s on her mind.

Mipha frowns at the two of them. “Oh, I was hoping I could keep it to myself. It isn’t my place to say… I meddled enough as it is.”

“You don’t have to-“ Daruk starts, only to be interrupted by Urbosa.

“Something is happening between Link and Revali.”

Mipha blushes and stares before she gives in with a silent nod.

Urbosa sighs, “It’s obvious to anyone with eyes. Those two have been glued to the hip. Maybe even as early as The Great Plateau.”

“Well…” Mipha looks off to the side.

Daruk frowns. “What are you saying?”

Urbosa glances at Mipha and Mipha sighs, “There is something to speak of between them. Romantically speaking,” Daruk gasps, “It is just a trial in itself to see how long it will take. Link is rather…”

“Humble?” Daruk supplies.

“Oblivious,” Mipha corrects, “At least. When it comes to how other people feel,” She shrugs then lightly, “And Revali is prideful. We’ll just have to wait to see how it goes.”

Urbosa laughs at Mipha’s word choice.

Daruk rubs his chin then, a happy grin finding itself to his face. “Romance, huh? Honestly not an idea common among the Goron. It sounds quaint. Could be fun to see Link get under Revali’s skin like that though.” Urbosa makes a gagging sound.

“No please. If they get even more openly affectionate, I’ll need bandages for my eyes as well as my hand.”

Mipha tuts softly. “Would you rather we talk then about your old flame? I’d be interested to hear more of that. Frankly speaking.”

“You have become more frank lately,” Urbosa quips, giving her a dirty look.

Daruk perks up. “Old flame? Why haven’t I heard of this before?”

Urbosa glares at Daruk. “There isn’t much to tell.”

Mipha giggles, and Daruk motions her way. “Well Princess over here seems to think differently. Are we not friends, Urbosa? Fellow soldiers and leaders in war? Comrades and Champions for the Hyrulean throne?”

“Oh, Urbosa is more than that to the throne…” Mipha says under her breath. Urbosa would box the Princess’s ear if not for the multiple reasons why she could not.

“What was that?” Daruk asks, not quite catching all Mipha had said.

The three Champions in Gerudo Town continue their banter and gossip with little concern. The Divine Beast Vah Naboris was repeatedly reported to stick to her section of the desert and the month was going well for them. A little carefree time with friends feels more than deserving.

Meanwhile, Link and Revali start their journey to the Tabantha region. It’s a longer trip than Revali had thought at first. The last time he’d gone, it was just him and the wind. Taking Link with him everywhere made the trip bumpier. More tiring.

Not to get him wrong. He was getting a fresh wave of endearment for Link at every turn. Every obstacle made Revali care for him more. He sees the struggle Link goes through with each new memory. The old weights from their past life pull at the corners of Link’s mouth. They tug him down into his head, spending his time by fooling around with his grief in new and twisted ways. Revali feels like if he isn’t distracting Link from his thoughts, he was letting the knight down.

They take their first break on Safula Hill, just outside the boundary of their charted map. Link is despondent. They’ve been flying for days by now. Even though earlier it had only been to chase a dragon around. It was still plenty of exercise. Link’s face is already flushed, though he’s doing better than when they had first used the paraglider for long distance travel.

The horse statue looks familiar, Link thinks, so he pulls out his Sheikah Slate. Just like he had thought, it was another memory to find. Was he really ready to remember another piece of what Zelda meant in his life? Didn’t he know enough?

Revali watches Link hesitate by the statue. The Hylian probably needs to rest longer yet, so Revali looks around for something to amuse himself with. Maybe some game to hunt.

What he finds is a lot more interesting. By the base of the hill stands a pure white horse all by itself. Occasionally, it will walk to a new patch of grass to chew on, but it is none the wiser to Revali’s appraising eye. 

Revali gives Link a quick glance, the Hylian still looking distant and grim. He’ll let Link have this moment for contemplation like he likes.

Quickly, Revali shifts through his things before he pulls out his sneaky Sheikah mask, some excess cloth, and a nice potion he’d picked up the recipe for. Revali can’t recall ever successfully taming a horse, but maybe today would be his day.

He gulps down the gross potion. With a grimace, he ignores the way it sticks to his throat while wrapping the scarf around his beak. Revali then works the cloth around his talons quickly. Who knows how long the horse will stick around.

He tightens the last knots around his talons, checking to make sure their sharp points aren’t out. Once he’s ready, he bends at the knee and slowly works his way to the horse. Its back is turned away from him. Revali sneaks up behind it, waiting until he is within a wing’s distance and then jumps. There is the light rustle of air; the horse startles at the sound, but it doesn’t react in time before Revali finds purchase on its back.

A thrill goes through Revali, and he lets out a rush of hushing pats to the horse’s neck. He pets along its mane, all the while keeping his calves clamped to its side. Taking a trick out of one of Link’s more gluttonous books, Revali downs a stamina potion when he feels his thighs give out. Chucking the bottle carelessly to the side, he finds a reformed vigor in his muscles. Eventually, the horse gives up the fight.

Laughing breathlessly, Revali looks down at his achievement. He’s on a horse! That he tamed! He lets out a loud laugh, whooping even with joy. A course of achievement thrums through him and Revali naturally looks wide to see Link’s reaction. However, at the peak of the hill, Link’s back is still turned.

Revali frowns. How could Link not turn around at the sound? He pulls the horse around, deciding to lead it up the hill to where Link’s standing. It takes a moment, the horse doesn’t want to agree with him right away, but then Revali is guiding it up to Link’s side.

In Link’s hand is the Sheikah Slate and Link has that far off look again. Two memories of Zelda in one day. Revali’s heart clenches as he watches Link’s face for any change.

_Link and Zelda had just finished their latest trip, but Zelda was leading them somewhere specific. All she had said was that they were to meet up with the other Champions soon. In the meantime, she thanked him for his advice. It had worked well and she was starting to feel a real connection with her horse._

_Link knew that his advice was solid, having spent his whole life on around horses, but it was nice to hear the Princess say so herself that she believed in his word. It was becoming a more and more common event with her. She was actually taking steps to understand him and they’d grown closer and closer these last few months. Zelda maybe even knew him better than anyone else at this point._

_She led them up to the statue on Safula Hill and dismounted. Following her, Link dismounted to walk behind her._

_“See that mountain?” Zelda asked, obviously meaning the largest mountain on the horizon before them, “That’s Mt. Lanayru. It takes its name from the Goddess of Wisdom.” Of course. Link knew much of this from his own religious studies. The Goddess of Wisdom being just a third of the face of the Goddess herself._

_“Lanayru’s decree is very specific,” she said, “It says: ‘No one is allowed, under the age of seventeen… For only the wise are permitted a place upon the mountain.’ I’ve prayed at the Spring of Courage and at the Spring of Power, yet neither awoke anything inside of me. But maybe up there… Perhaps the Spring of Wisdom, the final of the three, will be the one._

_“To be honest, I have no real reason to believe that will be the case. But there is always the chance that the next moment will change everything.”_

_A distant thought caught Link, forcing the idea that the sunset in front of Zelda really made her hair glow heavenly. The next moment could change everything. Nothing was the same as when they were kids. He could see where this was going._

_“Tomorrow… is my seventeenth birthday.”_

_Another trip to another spring then. Perhaps this one would be the one._

_Zelda turned around to face Link, a shadow playing over her face as she faced away from the sun. Her hair glowed even more around her._

_“So then I shall go… and make my way up the mountain.”_

Her determined face fades in front of Link’s eyes. He blinks, feeling like she should still be here.

That trip hadn’t ended well, Link thinks grimly, eyes focusing then on the mountain. She hadn’t found her hidden power and then Ganon had taken over. Head and chest hurting, Link puts the Sheikah Slate away before he hears someone clear their throat close by.

Link turns to the sound. Beside him is a horse’s head, white as snow. Zelda’s horse. Link looks around, thinking perhaps he’s still in a memory, but then his eye catches on Revali’s leg and he looks up. Revali is sitting up straight on the horse, bareback, waiting for Link to look at him. He has his Sheikah Mask lowered away from his beak, revealing his pleased smile.

“Well? Not too bad for my first catch. I’m thinking a plant-related name could be fitting. What do you think of the name Rowan?”

Link smiles at Revali, admiring his first horse with pride. He really did it. Though Link pauses at the name. “Rowan for a horse?”

Revali bristles. “What, like you can think of better?”

Link hums, circling the horse before stopping again by Revali’s side. He reaches for the horse’s mane and pets it while he says, “What about Sassafras?”

Revali frowns. “I’ll think about it. Care to join me? You can sit up front this time,” Revali invites, scouting back to make room. 

Folding his arms, Link pauses, “It isn’t good for the horse to carry two at once.”

“I’ll fly then. Just let me rest my wings. Come on, the horse will need ridden to the next stable either way. And I can fly. So.” Revali holds out his wing.

Link shouldn’t think that it looks so romantic. He shouldn’t think his friend offering him a ride is meant to mean anything more and he should not be also considering the closeness that comes from riding with someone else. Ignoring his own thoughts, Link hops onto the horse, just barely avoiding kicking Revali in the process. He will ride the horse for convenience. They can’t let Revali’s first taming go to waste.

It really is an exceptional horse.

So Link sits up front, with Revali insisting that he has to lead the horse, regardless of his own position on said horse. It’s distracting, having Revali wrapped around him. Though it shouldn’t be. Revali has taken it on himself to be more physical with Link ever since they entered Faron Woods. Maybe he feels pity for Link. Having to remember the things he’s remembered... The thought wounds Link’s pride, but he tries to ignore it. Being sore over hurt pride is Revali’s thing, not his.

Still, Link refuses to get too comfortable. He keeps his back straight, avoiding touching his back to Revali’s chest at all costs, and keeps his arms close to himself. Barely letting them touch a feather. Though Revali makes this increasingly harder as the Rito loosens his arms to rest on Link for support.

Revali, of course, has to break the silence again. Link wishes Revali would just take to the air already so that he could have time to think for once. “What was the Princess like this time?”

Ugh. Couldn’t he keep some memories to himself?

“…beautiful. Wise... Her birthday was coming. She wanted to go to Mt. Lanayru…”

“Lanayru… Why does that sound familiar?”

“Lanayru Road,” Link answers gruffly, jogging Revali’s memory.

“Right! Oh… Right. That was the day the Calamity came…”

Link huffs, before indulging Revali. “That happened after we came back from the top. There’s a Spring, like the Spring of Courage. Only Lanayru’s is the Spring of Wisdom. It was the last spring Zelda went to to try to unlock her powers.”

“How many are there?”

“Three. A Spring of Wisdom. A Spring of Courage. And a Spring of Power. Each represents a different face of the Goddess, creating a whole.”

Revali blinks. “Wow… That’s incredible.”

Link looks to their right as they cross a bridge. Not too far away, they can hear the sound of Kass’s accordion. Surely enough, they pass him, waving as they go by. Link tries not to feel too good about not stopping to talk. They really do have to keep going. There isn’t much more time before the month ends.

“So does that mean there are three dragons?” Revali asks then, seemingly out of nowhere.

Link frowns. That… would be logically, yes. Likely? Link shrugs, unsure.

Revali lets the topic fall as Link seems to care less and less. He can’t let Link’s attitude affect him too much. Not when Link doesn’t even know they’re courting yet. Not when Revali is still too much of a cucco to explain their situation. Link still thinks they’re only friends, it’s very easy to tell. Link doesn’t think Revali has caught on.

He has, but he has to be patient. With Link and with himself. What they have could be really special if he doesn’t rush it.

Still, Revali grows agitated by Link’s silence and hops off the horse to go fly.

Link tries not to be too disappointed in his friend’s absence. If anything, he lets himself relish the feeling of solitude. It’s been too long really since he’s gotten a chance to just be by himself. Finally he can get a moment to sort out all these memories and feelings in his head.

…what a scary concept.

They make it about half way to the stable, Revali keeping an eye on Link from the air, when Revali notices Link being accosted by someone on the road. He circles back and watches as the pair talk. A poof of smoke blows around them and Revali dives down in concern. Red paper is drifting down from the explosion.

In front of Link stands one of the Yiga henchmen.

“You’ve killed our Master. Now prepare to die!”

The Yiga member rushes Link with their sickle, to which Link draws his sword to parry with. Revali surveys the situation, but Link and the stranger are already moving too fast around each other. If Revali tries to shoot, the chance of shooting Link is too high. There has to be another way.

Revali lands by the scene, pulling out a sword of his own. He rarely has to use it, distance normally being on his side. However, he doesn’t need to as the pair turn and Link finds an opening. His sword slides between the stranger’s ribs, making them fall as Link pulls it out again.

Link’s face hardens as the stranger disappears in another cloud of smoke. Revali looks around, but they’re gone. Leaving behind only their meager belongings and a pool of blood. Link picks up the bananas before the blood can run into them. He looks pretty dissatisfied with their haul.

After Revali has made sure that Link is okay, he takes back up to the air. Link hops back on the horse to keep up.

Getting some distance on Link, Revali notices that at some point Kass had gained some distance on them. He stands now on a plateau to their left, playing presumably a different song for a different shrine. Revali wants to do the polite thing. Seeing a friend in passing twice without an actual conversation feels a little rude, but he pushes on to the stable coming up. There will be more opportunities to chat more likely than not in the future.

Revali lands by the stable, taking note that Link still has a ways to go to catch up on. Content to wait, he delves into his food storage. Plumped recently by Link’s excess. Feeling generous, Revali even cooks up a couple of cups of hot milk while he waits. Cups courteous of the stable. When Link pulls Rowan up to the stable, Revali has a late lunch set up for him.

“Here, have some milk. I put in some Swift Violet for a little kick,” Revali says after Link’s demounted.

Still troubled-looking, Link takes the milk silently. Revali lets his wing ghost over Link’s hand as he hands him the milk before going off to lead his horse over to the stable handler. He’s sticking with Rowan for the name. His horse is much too regal to be named something silly sounding like Sassafras.

As Link sits, he lets the steam of the hot milk rise over his face. His nerves are a bit fraught, first from the memories resurfacing and then from the unexpected attack… And yet, Revali had set up a lunch for him without incentive. For all his flaws, Link is lucky to have him as a friend.

Link tries to smile when Revali comes back to the cooking pot. The effort is appreciated, though it makes Revali more concerned.

“It actually tastes pretty good,” Link holds up his cup before taking another sip.

Revali arches an eyebrow as he takes his seat by Link’s side. “I’ll pretend like that was a genuine compliment.”

Link’s eyes widen before he laughs, “It is!” Revali just rolls his eyes. After a couple more sips, Link looks back up to Revali, asking, “How much farther?”

“To Rito Village?” Revali asks back, already thinking of what the route that would entail. “Depends how we go. If we leave Rowan here we’ll make better time. Be there by nighttime. But with Rowan, we’ll have to stay at the stable for the night.”

“Let’s get there by night.”

“Eat up then. It’ll be a long flight with less stops.”

Link groans, but complies, not one to shy away from an excuse to eat whatever food is on hand. Before long he’s stuffed. Leaving Revali sitting by him, wishing he were more perturbed simply because he feels so jaded by Link’s eating habits by now. The boy is an absolute culinary menace.

They hop out of the stable grounds, not even bothering with the shrine for it. Time is of the essence. They fly high over the mountains and hills. Link tries to memorize the locations of shrines they pass for later, knowing hopelessly that that probably won’t do him any good. He’ll just have to find them a second time either way.  

The only major stop they make is at the Tabantha Tower, which gives Link that portion of the map as well as a place they can teleport to later on: just in case they can’t get to another shrine before they have to teleport to Gerudo Town. The threat of Vah Naboris still looms, even when they’re minds aren’t on it. Just like the castle…

Link tries to think of that even less as the day wanes on. Just like promised, it’s just getting dark out by the time they pass the Rito Stable. Though Link wonders where they’re going when Revali doesn’t go for the town, instead flying down into the lake below.

Revali lands gracefully and Link glides in behind him. As Link folds up his paraglider, Revali grows impatient and continues towards his quarter.

Pleasantly surprised, he finds that someone has taken it on themselves to clean the place up while he was gone. A note is shoved between the wood and rock and Revali pulls it out to take a cursory look over. The handwriting is large, like that of another Rito. Revali reads it with a warmth in his chest. Amali and some others in town had taken it on themselves to clean up the place while he was gone.

Revali keeps the note, since it is rather touching. Certainly touching to his ego at least.

“Is this your place?” Link asks quietly as he follows Revali inside. His shadow blocks out what little natural light filters into the quarter. Quickly he backs up so that Revali can see the overhanging light properly.

He carefully uses the pulley to bring the flint-activated light down. Already he has a metal ignitor in his wingtips and he taps at the flint in the light once and then twice to ignite the light. Revali answers Link as he tugs the fire up to its proper place. “This would be it. Welcome to my home. “

Revali turns as Link lets out a little sound, barely intelligible. The Hylian’s eyes are wide and staring as he gets a good look. The paintings on the walls are cleaned, Revali notes absently. His desk is orderly, most likely now stocked with fresh ink and other supplies. The hammock he has is thicker, replaced, taken into account how absolutely ruined his last one was.

All in all, it’s a clean living environment with a homey touch to it that makes Revali feel… safer than he does in a lot of other places.

Link hovers for a moment before he lets himself drift over to a large painting featuring lots of Rito women. Many of them have Revali’s dark blue coloring and sport the red makeup he had become so fond of wearing after they had all left The Great Plateau. Link guesses he can see why now.

In the middle of the group, a little chick sits properly on his mother’s knee. Where sometimes the feathers on the others head differs, this chick shares Revali’s exact feather pattern.

“Is this…” Link trails, catching Revali’s attention. Revali’s still covered talons clack softly as he makes his way over to Link’s side. Link points to the chick in the painting. “Is this you?”

Revali smiles at the painting. “Yes, I was very young. This is a painting of me, my mother, and her many sisters.” Link whistles lightly. That is a lot of aunts.

Revali chuckles lightly, catching Link’s unwilling attention. Why does his laugh have to sound so pleasant? “I’m sure I told you, we were a choir group. This was one of the sittings we had to do.”

“Are there more paintings like this?” Link asks, curious now beyond belief. His body is practically yelling for him to take a rest, but he wants to flip through the quarter. He wants to look at all of the paintings.

Revali nods, though uncertain. “I’m sure. This is just the only one I’m aware of.”

Link nods, his eyes drifting then to look around. He could spend all night just pouring over this stuff with Revali. Would he let him? Link shouldn’t…

Link doesn’t get much time to ponder the possibilities as Revali takes it on himself to ask then, “Hey… Your arms. They aren’t meant for flying, despite your better efforts recently. I’d hate for you to get benched just because they weren’t seen to properly… Let me work out the knots for you before they become a problem.”

Stunned, Link stares at Revali blankly before considering his arms again. Well, they do hurt. But for Revali to offer? The Rito is looking off to the side, the feathers around his neck a little more fluffed up than they had been a moment ago.

“That was- I’m sorry, you probably wouldn’t want that,” Revali changes his mind in Link’s silence, “Let’s just forget I offered and eat something. How would some-“

“I’m still full from earlier…” Link interrupts him, making the Rito fluster further. Curious, Link lets his hand graze Revali’s shoulder. With a frown, Link studies it as he continues, “We did fly a lot. How are your wings?”

“I- I’m fine. I’m a Rito, we’re used to-“ Revali gets cut off when Link jabs his thumb in along the muscle connecting his shoulder to his breast. His shoulder goes slack and he tries to at least not make any strange sounds while Link works his thumb into a circular motion.

“That feels tight…” Link muses. He suppresses a smile as Revali leans into his thumb.

Revali refuses to meet Link’s eye as he forfeits, “Perhaps I’ve strained my wings more than what’s good for them.”

“Pigeonhaps,” Link mutters, letting himself smile truly. Revali ignores Link and lets the Hylian raise his other hand to get a good feel of where the muscle goes. Revali lets out a sigh and redistributes his weight to be more relaxed where he stands. Slowly, Link nudges him to follow him the desk.

Link takes a seat at the desk chair and motions for Revali to sit on the ground in front of him.

Link loves his friend, but he can’t…

He works his hands over the feathers exposed before getting exasperated. “Take this all off,” Link tells Revali, tugging at the armor covering his shoulders. Revali doesn’t comment or look his way, just simply following his orders for once.

It’s times like this that paint Revali in a softer light. Link feels like he should probably know better. That wherever this is heading, he shouldn’t be so naïve.

But he doesn’t know anything. Revali is his friend. He couldn’t stand to ruin that just because he assumed something that just is not blatantly true.

There’s no feelings. Simple as that. They’re obviously close friends. Close as any pair of people could be. Close friends that massage each other’s shoulders to make sure they can fight at optimal performance in the days to come.

At least things are quiet again, Link muses as he gets to work on Revali’s newly exposed shoulder. He starts from the top where the muscle starts in Revali’s neck, and then travels down the wing. By the time Link does both wings, there’s a purely black sky out and Revali feels like his arms are made of jello.

“Thank you, Link…” Revali sighs when Link finishes the last wing, his thumbs still pressed into Revali’s palm. “Your turn.”

Link can feel his face heat up as he takes an extra moment to press into Revali’s palm one more time.

“Come on, get on the floor. Shirt off,” Revali presses, pulling his wing away. He makes no effort to grab his discarded clothes, however, simply waiting for Link to get out of the desk chair.

They swap places and soon Revali is looking down as Link stripes his shirt off in his spot in front. Already, Revali can see a problem here.

“Your back is too short… Here, I have an idea.”

Link watches as Revali gets up and grabs his discarded Champion Scarf. With a flourish, Revali lays the scarf out on the floor. In its full length, it’s about as long as Link is tall. Revali motions at the scarf, saying, “If you would…”

Without another word, Link moves over before laying himself out on the scarf: face down. Once comfortable, he turns to look at Revali as he kneels over Link’s back. Soon wingtips brush along Link’s upper back, making him squirm. The touch is feather light.

Trying not to hurt the Hylian, Revali keeps his wings light on his back. Link tries to stand it for awhile since Revali would probably start to dig in any moment. That moment doesn’t come as Revali trails closer and closer to Link’s arms.

A burst of laughter comes out of Link and he rolls to bat Revali’s wings away. “That tickles!” Link quickly rubs over the skin to desensitize it, all the while smiling ruefully Revali’s way. “Dig in deeper. Please.”

Uncertain, but seeing that this isn’t going his way, Revali agrees. Dig in deeper.

Feeling nervous, Revali lets himself mutter along to try to ease his guts. “Unappreciative more like. Sorry your body has to look newly plucked from your day of birth. It is rather unfortunate…” Revali digs his thumb in slightly more as he feels a knot in between Link’s arm and back. “Hylians would probably look much better with feathers…”

Link laughs at that, trying to focus more on the banter than how that statement makes him feel. Who cares if Revali thinks Hylians are unattractive. There are no feelings. None to be known at all. “Beaks and tails would help too, huh?”

“Now you’re getting it,” Revali answers back smugly. Link whines when Revali accidently rubs into a thick knot and all smugness cuts out from Revali’s bite. This is a bit much. He should have thought this through more.

When the pressure filters down again, Link sighs out, “Noted. Grow feathers and tail to please our bird gods. Done.”  

“Don’t forget the beak. That’s a very important feature,” Revali jokes.

Link doesn’t comment, ignoring the feelings. All there is to feel is the pressure of knots moving through his muscles. He lets the feeling take up his whole consciousness, leaving nothing else left to think about.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gee, Revali? Why does the writer let you have so many dead aunts??? 
> 
> Also see: creating intricate rituals to touch another man. 
> 
> Next chapter comes out next Tuesday!  
> We'll go do Rito things like ignore our romantic tensions/intentions and fight one big blasty boy. You know, the usual.  
> Hope you enjoyed the update, see ya later! <3


	34. Tabantha

It’s early in the morning. Too early. Link’s eyelids feel heavy, but he can’t shake the energy out of the rest of his body. He guesses he’s awake now, whether he likes it or not.

Groggily, he rolls in the hammock to grab the Sheikah Slate on the table beside them. Then he rolls back to make himself comfortable back up against his Rito friend. Revali doesn’t even make a sound as Link rearranges himself, rocking the hammock. Finally, he gets his arms both laid comfortably over Revali’s wing and the Sheikah Slate balanced by resting the corner on Revali’s chest.

At first Link flips to the pictures Zelda had taken. It’s been awhile since his gone to see Lady Impa. She said to come see him once he started going to these places, so maybe he should go talk to her… Link looks back up to Revali’s sleeping face. Tempting as it is to go right now, Revali would have something to say for when Link came back. Best to just avoid that whole issue by waiting.  

Link gets bored studying the images, some in obvious locations and others harder to discern. Instead, Link flips to the Messenger Rune. They never did find any more Giant Ancient Cores. Link frowns. His user name is still Handsomest Knight. Between Revali’s antics and his constant stream of new memories lately, Link sometimes feels like his head could split.

His finger hesitates before he closes the rune. Mipha’s name is right there. He’s known it for some time, but he never really thought of the advantage of being able to talk to her, one on one, anywhere in Hyrule. Maybe if he could talk to her… she’ll make it easier for him to understand. To come to terms with at least some of it. She was always the more rational one between them.

**HK: Hey**

**HK: Are you awake?**

Link sends his first two messages without a second thought. His friends want him to get out of his own head more? He can do that. Of course he can do that.

The minutes pass and Link deflates. Maybe he was an idiot.

**M: Which of you is this?**

Link smiles in relief.

**HK: The most handsome of the knights.**

**HK: Who may you be?**

**M: Ha ha.**

**M: This is Mipha.**

**M: I was sleeping before I heard the alarm and thought it would be prudent to answer.**

**M: Least there be an emergency.**

Link winces.

**HK: This**

**HK: isn’t an emergency. Just an update.**

**HK: We were told to report more often.**

**HK: Is now not a good time?**

Mipha rolls on her hard Gerudo bed in the Inn. Lightly she smacks the light for her bunk on so that her eyes don’t strain as she reads her Messenger screen. It’s too early for this, but it’s important to provide reward for good behavior. She’ll have to humor whoever this is for putting in the effort to keep them informed.

**M: No now is fine.**

**M: This is Revali, right?**

**HK: No I’m Link.**

**HK: Sorry for getting you up.**

**HK: I just wanted to talk.**

Rising her brow, Mipha taps at her screen. Concern bubbling up in her.

**M: Is something wrong?**

Link takes in a deep breath, willing his body not to freak out. He isn’t the kind of person to get nervous, but now that he’s faced with actually having to talk about what’s been bothering him… Well it’s so easy with Revali. Revali doesn’t actually care, they’re friends sure, but there’s no repercussion for being too open with Revali. The subject always just gets subverted if it becomes too much for either of them.

But Mipha won’t do that. And that’s another level of scary, scarier even than that moment that you first catch a glimpse of a Lynel from your peripheral. Knowing that there was a moment where you could have died because it could have saw you before you saw it.

Mipha is the scarier option hands down.

Link lets out his breath and types out all he can muster.

**HK: Not really. We are at Rito Village now.**

**HK: Kind of? We’re at Revali’s place. He still has a house here and they cleaned it up for him.**

**HK: Having a whole village do something nice for you. Like that.**

**HK: Can’t be good for his ego.**

**HK: But I didn’t want to talk about that.**

**HK: That’s just the recent report on our well being.**

**HK: We are safe in Rito Village as of last night.**

**M: I am glad to hear you are both okay.**

**M: But if that is true, then what did you want to talk about?**

Damn. They’ve come full circle. Link’s heart hammers and this is ridiculous. The Goddess herself placed him as braver than herself among someone else. Blasphemous as that sounds!

Maybe he’ll just start with that. That’s at least a solid concern. Link guesses.

**HK: I’m**

**HK: These memories I’ve been getting…**

**HK: Honestly, it’s a lot. Revali’s a good listener, but he doesn’t… I don’t know.**

**HK: I wanted to talk to you some about it.**

Mipha waits patiently for Link to continue, cautiously wondering if this isn’t actually Revali playing some prank on her. When no more messages come through, she hesitantly replies.

**M: Link? What is it about your memories that you would like to discuss?**

**M: As your oldest friend. Please trust me. What you say here will remain confidential.**

**M: Just between the two of us.**

**HK: …**

**HK: It isn’t that bad.**

**HK: I remembered the first time I talked with the Goddess.**

Link hesitates before he leans fully into the discussion. He can’t stop there.

**HK: It was my first visit to the Spring of Courage. I had to take the pilgrimage after graduating the squire program.**

**HK: She interrupted my prayers. Talked to me directly.**

**HK: That’s unheard of apparently.**

**M: Yes very. What did she say?**

**HK: She told me where the Master Sword was. That I should go find it soon.**

**HK: She said I was the bravest out of… the three of them.**

**HK: What could that mean?**

Mipha frowns at her screen.

**M: The three of who?**

**HK: Me… and the Goddess? I guess?**

**HK: And someone else.**

Mipha flops back on her bed, wincing at the hardness. Link is the Hero of legend, so some normal assumptions will have to be discarded. However, that still leaves some rather massive gaps.

**M: Maybe Zelda?**

**M: I am sorry, but the thought that the Goddess would speak to you like this.**

**M: It is rather baffling.**

**M: I could read more into it when I shift through the older texts? Maybe I could find something of use.**

Link sighs, seeing about as much as he expected.

**HK: No it’s fine. That’s just one of the things I don’t understand.**

**M: You have been remembering a lot of things like this?**

**HK: Not about the Goddess.**

**HK: But a lot of things. Yeah.**

**M: As a consultant of the Goddess myself, I wish I could be more help. Some things are just too ancient to remember. However. I will try my best if there are other memories that are bothering you.**

**M: Do not be afraid to ask me anything.**

A bashful smile forms on Link’s mouth, and he feels his cheeks warm. They could be here all day. Link has no doubt Mipha would message him for that long, too. Just to help him.

**HK: I also remembered more about Zelda.**

**HK: She is very pretty. Like you are.**

**HK: But Hylian. Obviously.**

Mipha blinks and blushes.

**HK: This isn’t a question. I just wanted to tell you. She was so determined.**

**HK: But she couldn’t figure her hidden power out.**

**HK: I’ve only been able to remember her as…**

**HK: burnt out.**

**HK: I guess…**

**HK: Do you have any memories of her?**

Frowning, Mipha hesitates before she starts typing, taking time to retype her answer to be as straight forward as she can get.

**M: No I do not. Though Urbosa and Daruk seem to recall her some.**

**M: I seem unable to.**

**HK: Oh. Sorry.**

**HK: You said to ask anything.**

**M: Do not worry. You can continue to do so.**

**M: I am sure I will remember her in due time anyway.**

**M: On another note, what else would you like to talk about?**

**M: You said something about Revali earlier?**

Link frowns. Did he say something about Revali earlier? He scrolls up and ah, he sort of did, didn’t he. Well. What is there to say about Revali? Really.

**HK: He’s still a birdbrain. Not much more to say on that.**

Mipha rolls her eyes.

**M: Is he being hurtful?**

**M: I will send Urbosa posthaste if he has been mocking you over your memories.**

**M: Or anything else for that matter.**

**HK: No!**

**HK: No you don’t need to do that. He has been very. Nice. Actually.**

**M: …**

**M: Our Revali?**

**HK: Impossible I know.**

**M: He is full of surprises.**

**M: Has he given you…**

**M: any certain sort of surprise? Lately?**

Stunned, Link squints at the message, moving the screen away from his face and back. Just to make sure he read that right. Any way he looks at it, though, it just comes off as fishy.

**HK: And if he did?**

Mipha’s eyes bulge and she tries not to keep her composure, for the sake of the other people sleeping nearby.

**M: How did you respond?**

**HK: sadlkjf**

**HK: ;ljsadfj sfja aghokldsfmweoi**

**HK: sjdmfsamW  W EKSDFJNN  aofijvksmasiofvnkasf**

**HK: ‘p,o’;ljhi,**

**M: I am not familiar with that language.**

**HK: it is i reval**

**HK: gdkjasdlfk;**

**HK: SKJDFNSADF GAS:DKFakdfnsfdiodojvck**

There is a no more messages for over five minutes. Mipha sighs, figuring the boys are now having a conversation of their own. It is only later in the morning, just after breakfast, when Mipha gets more messages.

**HK: Revali said that I shouldn’t listen to you.**

**HK: Which means that the surprise hasn’t happened yet.**

**HK: And also, I really want you to tell me what it is.**

**HK: Or at least give me a hint.**

**HK: Can I have one hint. Please.**

**M: You said he has been nicer recently. Right?**

**HK: Yeah?**

**M: That’s your hint.**

**HK: …**

**HK: :(**

**HK: That’s me.**

**HK: You made me make that face.**

**M: That is a face?**

**M: Cute! I like it!**

**M: :)**

**M: Oh! Urbosa said to send this one. It is also cute!**

**M: >:Y **

**HK: …**

**HK: Don’t like that smile.**

**M: It is mischievous.**

**HK: I have to go.**

**HK: We will debate this later.**

**M: Okay! Be safe! :)**

“Are you done yet with your gossip? If you have not forgotten, we have actual business to attend to.”

Link smiles as he looks up at Revali, who stands by outside. He’s just gotten done applying that war paint of his. Link nods and stashes the Sheikah Slate along his belt. Quickly, he pulls out his paraglider and they take off towards the heart of Rito Village.

Link follows Revali as they climb the wooden stairs of the village. He’s gotten a good look of it from the outside, but Link is still perplexed. It isn’t the normal kind of settlement, but it makes up for its unusual flair by being Rito-crafted. What other tribe of people would wind their living areas around a large rock? It’s basically a roost and if Link didn’t understand how rude that would be to say, he would tease Revali about it endlessly.

They stop when they come across a black Rito polishing his bow in his room.

Revali knocks on the wood by the entrance and he looks up. The stranger looks up and stares before he stiffens up in recognition.

“About time you showed up again… Sorry you had to see me like that.”

A soft smile spreads over Revali’s beak and he enters the room. Link shuffles in behind him.

“Don’t worry about it. I’m glad to see you’re doing better.”

The stranger smiles and his eyes dance over to Link before they go back down to his bow. “And who’s your friend there?”

“Oh, right,” Revali amends, wrapping a wing around Link’s back loosely, “This is Link: the Hylian Champion. He’ll be helping us with the Divine Beast.”

“Link,” the stranger nods, still focusing on his bow, “Name’s Harth. It’s a pleasure.” Link nods in return, though Harth never looks back up to see it.

Cutting to the chase, Revali asks, “Where can we find Teba? We’d like to get started as soon as possible.”

“You’d have to ask his wife, Saki. She’s normally in their quarter by the Chief’s.”

They exchange a couple more pleasantries before Revali leads Link out again. Before they can go much further, Revali stops them both on the stairs.

“It’ll get cold up with Medoh. I saw some clothes in a store down the stairs that should keep you warm, no matter how high we go. Why don’t you go check some prices, maybe buy some pieces? I’ll go see if I can find Teba.”

Link nods, taking Revali’s advice easily. The tower here in Tabantha that is cold enough at its peak and there’s just a slight breeze up this far on the roost that is borderline intolerable.

Revali’s continues up the last few steps to find Saki alone in her quarter. Her eyes light up when she sees him.

“You’ve come back!” She cheers as he enters the quarter. Her little white chick looks in their direction with interest. “Does this mean you have what you need to enter the Divine Beast now?”

“I do,” Revali assures, “But I was hoping to also have your husband’s help. Where would he be?”

A frown sets itself on Saki’s face as she answers, “He has been getting impatient. I’ve been telling him to wait for your return, but… You can find him at the Flight Range. Now that you’re here, I trust that you’ll watch his back. He can get so reckless.”

“Right, I’ll just take off…” Revali starts, but trails as he looks at the platform he was intended to take off from. Pointing in the right direction, it faces exactly where the Flight Range is nestled in Dronoc’s Pass.

_Revali stalked around Link, feeling pleased and yet… Disgruntled. He had just gotten done with his boast, exemplifying all of his qualifications as Champion. But there’s a kick._

_“Yet despite these truths, it seems I have been tapped to merely assist you.” A Hylian kid whose dad just happens to be General to the Hyrulean King. This was no coincidence._

_“All because you happen to have that little darkness-sealing sword on your back.” Legend be damned. He worked hard, harder than anyone Revali knows. It should have been given to him…_

_“I mean it’s just… asinine.”_

_The whole time, Link just stood there. Listening. Dumb like his father and as plucked as a dove on the spit. What did he deserve? No. Link had presence and skill. Revali remembered it well from their earlier days. He was just unwilling to show it, which was so much more pompous than anything else, making Revali bristle against someone he used to have a begrudging respect for._

_The letdown only made Revali want a reaction more._

_“Unless… you think you can prove me wrong?”_

_Revali got close, his eyes glaring down at Link’s almost blank expression. “Maybe we should just settle this one on one?” He got away from Link fast, leaning away on his fisted wing, he asked, “But where…?”_

_“Oh, I know! How about up there!” Revali gestured up to his Divine Beast Vah Medoh, making another lazy lap around the heart of Rito Village. Revali smiled, looking down at Link’s shocked face, which carefully slotted itself back into neutrality. The transition pleased Revali greatly to catch. “Oh, you must pardon me!” Revali assured, using his wings to exaggerate._

_Before making his grand exit, Revali made sure to point out, “I forgot you have no way of making it to that Divine Beast on your own!” He spread his wings, turning his profile so that Link could get one last good look at his handsome visage. Then he soared up into the air on his Gale._

_Feeling pleased with his speech and just a smidge cheeky, Revali turned midair to yell back down, “Good luck sealing the darkness!”_

_That little Hylian was going to need all the luck he could get. Considering Revali had full plans to steal away any bit of glory Link could ever undeservedly receive for all their work yet to come._

Outside the clothing store, Link watches as Revali dives off of one of the landings and heads off somewhere without him. That would figure.

“Is this all?” The nice storeowner asks Link, making him focus on the task at hand. A full Snowquill set lays out on the table and Link quickly shifts through all the rupees he’d just traded for. Quickly he loses much of his wealth, but becomes the proud owner of some much warmer clothes. “Have a good day, sir!”

Link pulls up the Snowquill and looks around for a place to change. If he’s to bother following after Revali, he should at least make sure to keep warm first. He keeps heading down the stairs until he finds the lightly wooden area at the base of it all. It isn’t much, but it’s a lot more than the zero privacy offered by the other options further up.

After he’s tugged on his Snowquill, noting the lack of feather accessory displayed on the mannequin head, Link heads back up the stairs to where their lead is at.

He almost passes it, but her pink feathers give Saki away, and Link tentatively approaches her.

“Can I help you?” She asks as he enters the quarter, her eyes darting to a white chick and then back to Link.

Link nods before asking, “I came here with a Rito, who was looking for your husband. Did he come talk to you?”

Saki looks shocked, but she recomposes herself well enough, answering, “You wouldn’t be talking of black and white Rito, would you?”

“Revali,” Link supplies.

Saki frowns. “He did not mention bringing a Hylian with him.”

Link frowns, unsure what to say. She seems not to trust him, so Link offers more about himself, “I’m the Hylian Champion. I was resurrected along with Revali. My name’s Link.”

Saki adjusts her weight on her talons and folds her arms, though her frown is replaced with a friendly expression. “Mine is Saki. Pleasure to meet you.” She hesitates, searching his eyes. Apparently finding what she’s looking for, she continues, “He was just here. I sent him off to a place called the Flight Range. It’s nestled right along Dronoc’s Pass.”

She turns to face the landing Link recognizes as the one Revali took off from. “I would normally say to take Revali’s Landing: named so no one would forget that horrible day, but without flight the actual path you would have to take would take too long. It would be more practical to wait here for them to return…”

Link stops paying attention, though, when he hears the name of the landing. Revali’s Landing.

_He stood behind Zelda as she continued her meeting with the Chief. It was a long couple of days of travel, just to check up on Revali’s progress and the state of the Rito troops. Worth it, though, if she could have just one more week without her father breathing down her neck._

_Revali didn’t seem pleased with their presence, but he held his tongue through the meeting. Sending Link dirty glances when no one was watching. Revali had always been ill-tempered. It was obvious that his village doted on him too much and he was able to preen under their collective attention. Unwilling to accept criticism after their continuous praise._

_If it hadn’t been for Revali’s collaboration in early fights, Link would say it was wasted on someone like Revali. But it wasn’t just the Rito that celebrated Revali’s success. Link could remember a time when he too was captivated by Revali’s fighting techniques. What only occurred a couple years ago felt like a lifetime now._

_When Revali nodded for Link to follow him, Link checked to see Zelda preoccupied with the Chief yet. The meeting was called to an end and her presence in the village was secure, so Link followed. Revali jumped off the roost to gild down out in the open air, downwards. Showing off as per usual. He nodded at a landing which Link took to standing on. He waited while Revali dived down with a performance act threating to come._

_Sure enough, Revali burst back up, a gale of wind holding him up momentarily before he rested safely on the railing of the landing._

_“Impressive, I know. Very few can achieve mastery of the sky,” Revali motioned with theatrical intent as he talked, “Yet I had made an art of creating an updraft that allows me to soar.” It was true, unlike anything Link had seen: of Revali or anyone else for that matter. If Revali wasn’t already so boastful of himself, Link would say he was proud of him._

_“It’s considered to be quite the masterpiece of aerial techniques, even among the Rito. With proper utilization of my superior skills, I see no reason why we couldn’t easily dispense of Ganon,” Revali hopped down from his perch as he continued to speak down to Link, “Now then, my ability to explore the firmament is certainly of note… But let’s not- pardon me for being so blunt –let’s not forget the fact that I am the most skilled archer in all of the Rito.”_

_Link sure hoped Revali was a cut above the rest. Everyone else had to be in order to be selected as a Champion of their race, including himself. Sometimes, Link thought Revali forgot that important fact._

_But this was the most they had talked since their shared campaigns. Link watched carefully as Revali continued to circle him, talking on and on with no break. There were obvious pauses, places were Revali thought Link would bite back. Maybe in a past life he would have._

_“Yet, despite these truths,” Revali held up an extended wingtip to point at Link, letting it point on down Link’s person. Link watched as it dropped, still unsure what to expect from all this talk. Though the resentment was becoming clear. “it seems I have been tapped to merely assist you.”_

_There’s Revali’s old competitive streak. The old edge in Link’s side that made him push harder in campaigns. Got him to give more, and more when he knew he was already pushing his limits…_

_Revali turned his head with a dramatic wing motion, “I mean, it’s just… asinine... Unless you can prove me wrong?”_

_He’s trying to provoke him, Link realized. It should have been obvious, it was Revali’s specialty and he is nothing but a one-trick pony sometimes. Link had wasted his time to expect anything else. He had just thought… Maybe somethings from the good old days could come back._

_Revali wasn’t going to ever look back though. Link should have known._

_Revali was in Link’s face, not that Link could care. This wasn’t going how Link had hoped. Instead it was just more stupid bait to try to get Link to lash out. Revali didn’t understand. He wasn’t that old kid anymore that would jump at the chance to prove themselves._

_Revali was looking at him though, eyes level and green like the grass in Faron. The continued stare made Link’s heart jump, ready. Like things could be like they were, it was all there in Revali’s eyes. Link just had to jump at the bait._

_“Maybe we should just settle this one on one?”_

_Link regained his composure when Revali pulled away, giving a faux-thoughtful glance around them. “But where…? Oh, I know! How about up there!” Revali gestured up and Link knew without looking that he meant his Divine Beast. Link looked up anyway and he could feel any fight he might have had in the moment slip away._

_There wasn’t a pause, just a moment were Revali looked for a fracture of reaction. Finding none, Revali continued on his condescending spiel, “Oh, you must pardon me! I forgot you had no way to make it up to that Divine Beast on your own!” He looked smug, like he had just won whatever game he was playing in his head. He lifted his wings and sent himself up into the air with a flourish._

_“Good luck sealing the darkness!”_

_Link winced, realizing how much he still yearned for it. In just one moment, Link could have lost every brick he had built up around himself these last two years._

_If Revali had offered to actually spar with him, Link would have drawn his sword in the moment. Then would things have gone like they had gone on the campaigns? More goading, arm-twisting, relaxed evenings? Gentle teasing along with even gentler intentions?_

_Link shook his head. Spitefully he thought: he would have better luck if Revali would just keep his distance forever._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to A Memory Scavenger Hunt: slow burn hell. You thought this story would be under 200,000 at least? HA. Me too :')   
> In other news, I am sorry and also excited. What could happen next? I don't know! Christmas chapter is gonna be a good one though! 
> 
> See ya next Tuesday! <3


	35. Tabantha

Link hadn’t said anything when the two Rito warriors had come back. He didn’t say anything when they packed up, preparing as many bomb arrows as possible for the trip. He got on Revali’s back and that was that. They went up to fight the Divine Beast Vah Medoh.

And it isn’t that the fight isn’t harrowing. It is. It reminds Link much of the first time they had ever encountered the Guardians. It’s loud with several close calls and good aerial coordination.

Link should get used to it, he guesses: falling through the air while he tries to land that perfect shot. Nothing between him and a very long fall. He lets loose the arrow and it flies too far to the left: missing the mark. There are huge black holes in his memory. Anything could have happened to him in his past life and Link should know by now that anything that could have happened to him probably did happen. In one way or another.

Revali catches Link’s attention from the corner of his eye and while he’s falling, he stares. The other two Rito warriors are over at a different cannon, working in tandem to take the pressure of the beam off each other. It’s like a dance in midair with a dangerous light show. Revali looks exceptionally nice when the cannon explodes and the warm light bathes him in gold.

Link feels like he couldn’t be more empty-headed if he tried to be.

Quickly he pulls up his paraglider before he can fall too far and he rides the air drifts up high over the Beast, just barely scraping past another cannon beam.

All this time, Link was content. He had a goal, he had to focus. He still has to focus. But all the focus in the world still got him killed in the end. What does any of it matter?

Link doesn’t help take out a single cannon, instead flitting uselessly from cannon to cannon, wasting precious bomb arrows in attempts to look at least slightly helpful. His eyes stray to the other end of the Divine Beast every chance a wing catches his eye. Revali will find out eventually. These are his memories too or… feelings. Do feelings from a memory count? Thoughts from a moment in the past?

Would Revali remember Link like Link remembers Revali? From how Revali talks, he doesn’t remember any times they would have interacted together. But then, Revali could be oddly private when he had something he wanted to keep to himself.

The barrier suddenly comes down. Link whips his head to see Revali putting his bow away. Teba isn’t flying as smoothly as before and he says something to Revali before flying back down to the village. Hopefully he’s alright.

Something quivers in Link’s tummy as he glides down to the Divine Beast’s back feathers. Revali is watching him as Link lowers himself gently to the platform. This Beast is so different from the other two. The flight is smooth in the air, but continuous, propelling them at a lazy pace even though it is temporarily shut down.

Link walks past Revali to place the Sheikah Slate into the podium. As he places it, the podium glows blue, opening the entry for them. Revali walks over, looking in tentatively. They aren’t actually supposed to go in yet, though Link finds himself restraining the urge to look for a fight. Anything to continue ignoring these feelings he’s been having. Link gets vertigo just from thinking of it as that. Something he’s been experiencing for awhile now.

“Link, come sit with me,” Revali says, and Link turns to find Revali walking further away from the entrance. Link follows Revali down the length of the Beast’s feathers to the end where an eye of Ganon blocks the way. Revali stabs it with a sword and the goop dissipates, letting them through to a chest.

After Revali pockets the treasure inside, a forgotten sapphire, he climbs to the edge behind the chest. He gets comfortable on the edge of Vah Medoh’s feathers and waits for Link to sit as well.

Climbing up beside him, Link looks curiously at Revali.

Revali takes a deep breath before starting, “You were distracted.” He keeps his eyes out at the view before them. Link’s brow furrows. “I don’t need an excuse. I just want to know if everything is alright.”

Link opens his mouth, thinking maybe he’ll just tell Revali what he had remembered, but then he closes his mouth again. He can’t take this back if he puts the idea out there. He should think about this some more. Maybe try to remember what all could have happened while they were on their campaign.

“Did something happen when I left to find Teba?”

Link avoids Revali’s searching eyes then, rubbing the back of his neck. He shakes his head.

“Did you have a run in with one of the other Rito? You can tell me if you did, I’ll square anyone away without second thought. Just tell me who.” Tentatively smiling, Link looks at Revali quickly, who looks pretty serious. Always passionate. Revali may have changed, but there was always that heat in his eyes.

Trying to derail that energy, Link changes the topic, “Have you remembered more since coming back to Rito Village?”

“What? …remembered? I suppose I remembered a few details… Visiting the Flight Range was particularly good…” Revali narrows his eyes, “And you? Did the village bring anything back for you?”

A light blush spreads on Link’s face as he shakes his head.

“I should have known,” Revali says, now in better humor, “Must have been interesting to make you miss so many shots. Care to share?”

“Not much to share…”

“Fine! Keep your secrets,” Revali teases, “See if I care. Since we’ve got time, I might as well tell you that I did remember a visit of yours,” Link’s eyes widen and Revali smiles, “Ha! Caught your attention there. We must not have been good friends, and honestly, I don’t think I had any Hylians friends anyway. So I was showing you my aerial prowess, proving how useful a teammate I was. But you were so stoic, like talking to a rock. I suppose that’s just… how you were back then huh. I didn’t take it very well at the time.”

Revali leans Link’s way then and Link feels a little ashamed. He used his silence often to avoid having to have an opinion. It seems he’s repeating old habits now.

“You didn’t even take me up on a friendly sparring up on this Divine Beast. Really, you were pretty rude the entire time. I just couldn’t stop thinking: what made you think you were better than me? Why did someone like you get to be the Hero? It was all petty in retrospect…”

Frowning, Link asks hesitantly, “Was this on the landing by Saki’s quarter?”

Revali blinks, his feathers ruffling. “The same.”

Link nods. “You were rude yourself.”

Revali sits back. “So why _did_ you stay quiet then? It wasn’t like you.”

Link sighs and leans forward to look down below them. “It was like me. I didn’t want to deal with your tantrum. So I didn’t.”

“I see…”

The air is stiff. At the same moment, Revali and Link start to say something. Link stops short, and waves for Revali to continue.

“Right. I’m sorry. For acting that way. I didn’t know then, but I know now. You didn’t deserve to be judged by a practical stranger. I didn’t know anything of what you went through, I just wanted someone to blame for my own shortcomings…”

Link raises an eyebrow. “What shortcomings? Everything you’ve done, you’ve done perfectly.”

Revali ruffles again more violently and he averts his eyes. “That isn’t true. You’re just being complementary and while I appreciate the thought, no one being is perfect. As much as I do like to jest in saying that I am.”  

“Mm, I meant it,” Link says anyway, absently. And Revali has to stop to think. In everything he’s tried to do, subtle and not so, Link seems to always beat him in this flirty dance, making Revali want to swoon with just a few words. Link doesn’t even know yet that they are basically courting! My, they are a pair of disasters. In which, Revali’s surely going to be ruined when Link puts his efforts to actual use.

When. It’s a matter of when and Revali keeps dancing around it.

Surprisingly, softly, Link speaks up again, “So you remember us as strangers? You don’t remember about the campaign days?” He seems almost disheartened.

“I have only the vaguest about those days. I remember that one night hazily. That one you confined in me.”

Link smiles lightly. “You have a pretty singing voice.”

Revali knows Link is only referring to his silly, drunken song. The one about breaking women’s hearts. Still, the statement slaps Revali harder than he thought possible and he all but rushes to offer, “I’d sing for you now if you’d like.”

When Link gives him a bemused look, Revali’s feathers refuse to lay down right. It isn’t fair really. Link should at least know that this is a thing. They’ve been flirting now for what feels like ages and Link hasn’t seemed to have taken one single hit to his pride.

Well this is the last hit Revali’s taking laying down.

“Song bird,” Revali drawls out, sitting up straight and bending his chest to face Link fully. He folds his wings tightly in his lap. “Oh, the flight of my heart bird. Oh, the height of my life bird. Oh, how the night is young my bird. So why don’t you spend the night with me?”

Revali offers his wing then to Link. Still confused and a little giggly, Link takes his wing. Revali knew he would. Of course he would. It’s still a relief though when he does.

“Oh, song bird!” Revali starts singing again after both him and Link slide back to the floor to stand up. He lightly tugs on Link’s hands and holds them to either side with his own wings.

Revali tugs Link in a tight little circle, slowly shifting their way clockwise. “Look at what the night has birthed. Come to see the light of day- bird. For we’ve only just begun. Song bird. Oh, the flight of my heart bird. Oh, the height of my life bird. Oh, how the night is young, my bird. So why don’t you spend the night with me?

Revali pulls them the opposite way then.

“Fly with me and dive with me! Let us see where the night will lead!

“Come fly with me and thrive with me. And so let the night never end… Oh, how the night is young my bird. So why don’t you spend… the night with… me…” Revali slows down, catching his breath. Link seems to have no words, his face entirely red and his eyes looking anywhere but at Revali.

Link lets out a heady laugh, trying to just take it as another slide in their friendship. “A choir song?”

“Part of one,” Revali answers, leaning slightly closer in on Link. Link’s eyes dart up to Revali and then back down again. “You know,” Revali continues, “I’ve noticed you can’t take a hint. I’ve understood by now that you’re an upfront kind of person. But you’re also very hesitant to do anything for yourself. Making you something shy and timid when these traits, separated, don’t actually add up to the person you are. It’s become a burden to watch as you trip quite a bit over your own emotions.

“So I must ask for my own health, you are aware that I have been vying for your atten- no. For your affection. For some few weeks now. Have you been aware? If not, may I ask, will such endeavors ever be reciprocated? Or has it all really been… some sort of… game to you…” The more Revali talks, the more out of depth he looks. Link almost pities the guy. Except.

There were a lot of words there. A lot of it sounding unpleasant, but somewhere in that monologue Revali said something like…  

“Are you trying to be romantic?”

Revali’s soul would be crushed if it were tangible. Slowly, Revali leans further down and wraps his wings around Link’s body. He head rests with a thump on Link’s shoulder.

“Something of the kind.”

“Oh.”

“Yes. Oh. Indeed.”

They stand like that for a few moments more before Link jolts.

He slowly pulls back, eyes wide, “You want to… you haven’t even remembered the campaign yet…”

Revali frowns at Link. “And what is that supposed to mean?”

Link stiffens, not sure how to answer. He barely knows himself what that means. Revali sighs, burying the side of his face back and further into Link’s neck. “I don’t know what you’ve remembered. At this point, I’m sorry, but I couldn’t care less. I want… I want who you are now, Link. And I’m tired of dancing around that while the whole world is burning around us!” Revali gently pulls away from Link to motion around them.

“Look at this place! We’re still in enemy territory after months of work. And who knows what tomorrow will bring, but what I do know is that you are single-handily…” Revali looks down to meet Link’s wide eyes, “ _the best_ thing in my life. Maybe even the only truly good and holy person in this entire cursed realm… What more do I actually need to know to say that I care about you more so than I care about my own life?”

Link sucks in a breath. That’s… so much. So much more than Link had gotten the chance to think, to let himself think… And Revali already feels..?

Revali watches as Link’s face falls from fascinated to horrified. He’s done too much, he’s said too much, fuck, how does he fix that? How does he fix that? This was all so much easier when Revali was just assuming Link cared just as much as he did.

Revali’s panicking and Link feels horrible. This is all going horribly. He had to bring up the campaign. He had to give Revali something he had to prove and now Revali’s laying out so much and he obviously regrets it. He probably doesn’t even mean half of it. He’s just trying to get Link to like him…

Link already likes him plenty.

Link already likes him plenty.

It’s just one concise thought, but it’s enough to shoot Link into action, already smattering light kisses along Revali’s cheek. Link’s hands come up and he smooths Revali’s feathers. Petting them over and over in some inane hope that it’ll soothe the Rito as much as the action soothes Link himself.

He doesn’t know what he’s doing, but if Link can get Revali to slow down. To just spend time in the moment. Maybe Link can catch up. Link doesn’t know anything of the breadth of his own feelings… but maybe he can get Revali to take what Link does know. If just for right now.

Revali chuckles as Link’s kisses go up his cheek, under his eye. “What are you doing?”

“Romance?” Link asks, trying to smile as he peppers more kisses along Revali’s cheek, leading back down to his beak.

Revali laughs again, leaning away from Link’s kisses, getting serious as he creates space. With an even tone, he says, “I thought you were going to reject me.”

Link shakes his head before burrowing it in Revali’s neck. Quickly he latches his arms around Revali’s shoulders and squeezes. He’ll have to make it up to Revali for scaring him like that.

After a few more squeezes, Revali and Link head back to the edge of the Divine Beast to sit down. Their eyes dart at the corner, catching the other from their peripheral.

For the day they stay up on the tail feathers of Vah Medoh, talking about the smallest things. Trying to refind their old way of being around each other. It’s awkward. Link can’t seem to look Revali straight on and Revali seems unable to talk for any length of time before he catches himself staring Link’s way.

Eventually, they give up on conversation all together. Instead Revali offers something a bit easier for both, wrapping his wing around Link’s shoulder and watching the mountains below them go by. Revali realizes that the Snowquill Link’s wearing must be working well. He hasn’t complained once of the cold since they’d came up here this morning.

They eat lunch quietly, pulling out premade skewers from days ago. Revali couldn’t wait for the Calamity to be over just so that he wouldn’t have to eat old food anymore.

“If you would have been reasonable…” Link starts after dropping his used skewer stick off the side of the Beast, “I would have fought you. That day on the landing.”

“You would have?” Revali perks, almost done with his own.

Link nods, pausing before adding on, “It was an old feeling. Like something we did before, and I was trying not to do again. I didn’t want to give you a reaction.”

“That would make sense… Hey, why are you so embarrassed all of a sudden?” Revali grins down at Link.

Looking off to the side, Link tries to remember to speak up while he shrugs, “It was just… us. I knew you’d do more than just… be competitive. I was waiting for it. For what would happen after the fight.”

Revali’s eyebrows raise. “Such as?”

“Like what we’re doing now?” Link supplies, not sure what he’s really talking about. The memories are so vague and the feelings blur too much with what he feels now.

Revali hums, leaning his head to lean it on Link’s. “And what is it that we’re doing now?”

Link chuckles nervously, feeling a rush of clammy hands. He shrugs in lieu of a better answer.   

After a breezy laugh, Revali continues, “You really did not catch on for the longest time.” Link gives Revali a side-long look of disbelief before shaking his head, dislodging Revali. “What? I gave you a million compliments. I’ve made you meals and massaged your back. You really are just thick. And yet somehow you’re our savior,” Revali bemoans at the end, faking a hurt look. Link rolls his eyes. 

“But you are our Hero… I suppose you’ve gained my trust in that these past few months…” Revali continues and reaches for Link’s hands. Easily they slot Link’s Hylian hands between Revali’s Rito wings, Link welcoming the added warmth happily. “I hope that you will let me continue to court you, more formally speaking that is.”

Link’s face warms up and he stares at Revali for a moment. Only last night he was wondering if Revali could ever find anything interesting in a Hylian like him. And now… Link nods his head, just knowing that he was happy to search this new experience out while there was still time left to give.

Link leans forward and wraps his arms around Revali’s shoulders again. Revali squeezes Link around his middle and they gently sway on the edge of the Divine Beast. Happy in each other’s arms.

After a couple of beats, Revali gently asks, “When do you think we should head back to Gerudo Town…” His question is punctuated with an alert from the Sheikah Slate.

Link grabs for it without question, an arm still wrapped loosely around Revali’s shoulder, opening the Messenger to see a concise message.

**M: Divine Beast reportedly moving our way: two days arrival estimated.**

Link shows Revali the message and Revali lets out a sigh, “Just our luck.” Before Link can teleport them away, Revali holds Link’s thumb away from the button. “Link? We… Will we be public..? I would understand if you wouldn’t want the other Champions to know…”

“Revali…” Link puts little thought into it before leaning up to kiss the side of Revali’s beak quickly. “Tell if you want. I don’t care.”

Before Revali can say much in response, they’re already teleporting to Gerudo Town’s local shrine. The heat hits Link instantly, making him feel like he could die on the spot.

He gets up and runs to the Shrine door, closely followed by Revali before Link notices, turning to put his hand on Revali’s chest. Link shakes his head.

“What are you-?” Revali starts, but Link’s already pulling out the light blue fabric. He’d almost forgotten.

“I need to change,” Link says weakly before shoving lightly at Revali’s chest. Surprised, Revali backs up and watches as Link disappears down the Shrine elevator. In the exchange, Revali somehow had been handed the Sheikah Slate.

**HK: We just arrived at town. Where are you?**

**M: Meet us at the South Outpost. In between Gerudo Town and the Baazar.**

Revali looks out over the sand dunes to see what is probably the outpost in the distance. Farther out, he can hear the storm surrounding Vah Naboris getting dangerously close.

Link comes out of the shrine, decked in his Gerudo gear. Except they weren’t going into town, and Revali wasn’t really sure that the flimsy material would be enough to protect Link.

“We don’t need to go into town, so if you want to change…” Revali trails, but Link shakes his head. The slight roar of the storm has everyone on edge. “Right.”

Revali spreads his wings and Link gets the hint to take out his paraglider. In a single use of Revali’s Gale, they were up in the air and heading in close to the South Outpost. They glide slowly down, being meet first by their Goron friend waving at them with a wide grin.

“How was your break? Have fun while you were gone?”

Revali rolls his eyes and Link tries not to think about all of the ‘fun’ they had. Thinking on it, they were rather… Hm. He had been oblivious; Revali had a point there. Handsomest Knight. What was this, their toddler years? Or would it have been Revali’s chick years…

Lost in thought, Link starts when they are greeted by Urbosa inside the hideout. She quickly picks both Revali and Link up in a bear hug, not unlike Daruk’s own spine-crushers. It is apparently obvious that she has no intent on carrying out some of her angry threats from the other week. If Link wasn’t having the life squeezed from his body, he’d be relieved.

In the corner, Mipha is generously applying more water to her gills. She’s smiling at them, watching contently as they get set back down on the floor. Unsteady on their feet.

“Get ready. Makeela came up with a plan to stop the Beast in her tracks. You’ll need a couple shields and some good bows. Go up to the top and she’ll have bomb arrows for you as well.”

“Why the shields?” Revali asks, while Link shifts through the equipment in the room. There’s plenty of good bows, not that he’s in the greatest of need. Rito Village provided them with plenty already. The shields, however, are a great blessing.

“We’ll be sand-seal surfing. Pray your balance is good enough,” Urbosa jeers Revali, making him frown.

“I’ll have you know I had some of the best balance of any chick my age.”

Urbosa raises her brows in amusement. “When won’t you take the chance to preen your own feathers.”

“It keeps my down soft,” Revali snubs, taking a shield that Link took incredible care in picking out. He’ll remember to grab for it first, since it is admittedly the only shield he has. Except for the second one Link hands him. Also picked out with equal amounts of care.

Urbosa heads out to gather the sand-seals they had brought out for the day. Makeela insists that she can come help, even though Urbosa had remembered the prayer for the Thunder Helm just fine. She is talked into letting the young Gerudo girl to come. It is her home too.

When everyone is ready, almost all members of the party are lined up on their sand seals except for Daruk, who is content to wait out the initial battle. No sand-seal would be strong enough to pull him and he would just be in the way during the quick paced ride around Vah Naboris’s feet. Instead, he rolls behind the others as they reach the edge of Vah Naboris’s storm.

Here they wait while Urbosa dismounts, the Thunder Helm under her arm. She starts the prayer, setting the Helm on her head with a precise grace and looking upward. Urbosa’s voice thunders as she calls on her ancestors for protection.

Still on his shield, Link looks at the ceremony and then to his friends. Revali stands right next to him, staring at Urbosa with admiration in his eyes. It brings an uneasy peace to Link’s mind to know he’ll have Revali watching his back. For the first time, Link wishes Revali wasn’t coming along. The fight could either go perfectly or horribly and it would be their luck for such a perfect day to be ruined…

 So Link takes the moment to look up and pray.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Holidays all! 
> 
> If I could spend endless time editing any one of these chapters, and there are many chapters now that I'd love to redo haha, this is by far the one I would edit forever. There's just. So much going on. Hopefully it's at least not gibberish. 
> 
> And I'd also just like to say, thank you guys again for your continued support. This story has become such an integral part of my life this past year and you guys have been so great. It's really been a huge boost to my overall happiness to be writing for you. And for the many who are signed out and send me repeated 'guest' kudos, I love and cherish you so much. Thank you for the support you give and have a great winter holiday. 
> 
> I'll be seeing you in the New Year! <3


	36. Wasteland

Daruk hangs back while Urbosa leads the rest of the pack to Vah Naboris’s. Makeela keeps faithfully by her side. Mipha rides near Urbosa’s other side, though she bobs less skillfully, sometimes escaping the green dome that projects out from Urbosa’s Thunder Helm. Revali watches on in concern as he stays as tightly to Urbosa’s back as he can. Leaving the farthest rear flanks for Link to bob back and forth between.

Revali has to wonder about the conversation that decided that a Zora, so susceptible to electricity, was the right person for shutting down a mechanical thunderstorm.

The air is charged with something that isn’t normally there in the face of a Divine Beast. Revali looks around in wonder. In bleak understanding, he counters himself by reminding himself that this is no place for a Rito either. Thunderstorms out: Rito stay back at home. One strike is all that it takes.

Still he pulls out his bow while pushing his steering strap up to the elbow of his wing. Can’t turn around now. From the corner of his eye, he sees Link ride hard out past him. His strap is already wrapped around his elbow and a bomb arrow is sizzling in his delicate Hylian hands. Link rides a little farther away from the group before letting the arrow loose in the direction of the feet of Vah Naboris.

It arches and explodes on the ground right where the Beast had lifted its hoof.

The air crackles with energy. Urbosa makes a hard left, part to reestablish Link back into the protection of the dome and part to avoid the stomping hooves: each at least the size of four Daruks, holding each other in a brotherly embrace.

Link slides back to Revali’s side right before the first electrical attack strikes. Revali flinches as white light surrounds them and then leaves as fast as it had came. Link smiles wide.

The Hylian is already speeding up again. Revali watches in horror as he goes off again on another attempt. Mipha’s turned his way though, spotting them for the two Rijus up front. If Revali headed out along with Link it would make it just that much harder for the five of them to regroup during the next strike.

Wishing his new Hylian lover would take fewer risks, Revali reluctantly notches his first bomb arrow. He aims carefully, always aiming to the left of the girls in front of him. Urbosa has already landed one strike on a hoof and Makeela has gone through almost a handful of her own bombs. Revali needs to stop messing around and contribute.

Revali aims for the other back hoof, but misses, instead hitting the unlit hoof Urbosa had already gotten to. Farther ahead of them, Link has landed a shoot on a front hoof.

“Regroup!” Urbosa calls, her voice demanding attention even in the chaos of the crackling energy around them.

Link slides around, his shield tipping dangerously as he pulls back around to them. Instead of moving, Link waits for them to center on him. Everyone slows down as they get close, all except Mipha, whose sandseal has too much momentum to halt fast enough.

There’s more crackling and Link stretches out his arm before Mipha can get pulled out of the radius. Lightning strikes the dome. Revali feels breathless as he watches her seal dive under the sand, already running after being freed from her hold. Her shield remains buried half in the ground as Link pulls her from the sands and plops her right behind him.

Mipha clings tightly around Link’s chest, burying her face into his back. And then they’re off again.

Link rides closer to Urbosa after that, playing noticeably safer with Mipha under his care. His carefree smile is replaced with a grimace. Revali can’t help but feel vindicated. That’s what Link gets for being too uncaring with his own life. Just to show off, Revali surges ahead to get a nice shot on his first hoof. Makeela sees an opening not much longer and also dives, in between the Beast’s legs no less, to land a hit on her own mark.

The Beast stops in its tracts, its four legs all sloping together before bending to lay in the sand. Makeela slides dramatically around the Beast, spraying sand as she stops in front of them. Meanwhile, Daruk rolls their way and Link and Mipha hop off his shield to go get some semblance of control over Vah Naboris.

“Nice work!” Daruk huffs as he approaches. One of his large hands thumps against Revali’s back, knocking the wind out of him. “Makeela, your skills on a shield are impressive! You’ll be heading back to town now, right?”

“Right,” the little chief nods, giving Urbosa a quick hug before heading off. She gives them a salute before riding back in earnest.

“Good kid,” Daruk says casually, making Urbosa hum in agreement.

“If anything goes wrong in Vah Naboris, I’m glad to know the Gerudo people have her to look to.”

Revali releases his sandseal, remarking, “Not that that will be a concern. With us here, your people will never be without their true chief again.”

Urbosa gives Revali an appraising gaze as the three of them rush to group up with Mipha and Link. The Beast looks to be getting up already and the rest of the Champions only just manage to hitch themselves up onto its entrance. Divine Beast Vah Naboris ambles back up to its full height within a heartbeat. Urbosa stands stiff as she watches the land around them jostle and turn. A held breath escapes her when the Beast turns away from Gerudo Town.

“Let’s get going,” she all but orders, turning on her heel to walk the slope up. Immediately in her way is a Guardian Scout, a pathetic little spear its only attachment. Urbosa quickly pulls her own sword out and strikes it down before anyone can get close.

Mipha doesn’t let it slide when Urbosa shakes her right hand after transferring her sword to her left. Already, Mipha gets on Urbosa’s case as they all continue inside.

“We only started leaving the bandages off a couple of days ago. Please… if not for your own sake, then for ours. Please don’t perform too much with that hand yet.”

Urbosa only huffs, taking in the inside of the Beast while otherwise ignoring Mipha. Inside is almost perfectly cylindrical, with an electric strip powering it from above. Though the strip isn’t complete, one strip being unaligned with the other two.

The Main Control Unit actually rests in the center of the massive room, raising some of Revali’s red flags already. When the Ganon Scourge comes out it will have all this room to work with… Some of which is unwieldly with platforms jutting out strangely from the rounded walls.

The rest of the Champions don’t seem to consider this at all, already working out where they can get the map at and where to go from there. Revali keeps a wary eye on the heart of the Beast as they pass.

“Roomy in here,” Daruk remarks happily, “You can really feel that raw electric vibe. Just look at that strip on the ceiling. Classic.”

“It does have a very different feeling from the other Divine Beasts we’ve been on so far,” Mipha comments.

Revali chips in, “Nothing like a new way to die to really livin the place up a little.” Urbosa chuckles, but otherwise everyone else either ignores him or sends him a dirty look. Like if they just pretend hard enough, they can forget how dangerous these places really are. Just because their Divine Beasts are docile creatures now…

Revali stews as Link slates the Sheikah Slate onto the podium for the map, giving him complete control of the rotating sections of the main room. Great just another thing Link’s childish mind shouldn’t have control of. Revali just knows already that rotating a section of the room is going to be a prank later. He can feel it to his bones and his beak already hurts from the phantom pain blooming at the thought.

Like other Divine Beasts, there are terminals they have to search for. It’s rather annoying, tedious work. They spend entirely too much time puzzling out how to get to the areas on the camel’s back before Link finally finds a way to use the cylinder to elevate them up the correct path.

A twinge of pride goes through him. Who’d have thought they would be here at the start of the day? Waking up in his quarter with Link tucked neatly beside him feels like a lifetime ago. Now Revali’s proud of him just for figuring out how an elevator works.

Oh Goddess, he’s hopeless.

Later in the search, Mipha takes a seat by the Main Control Unit with Daruk while the other three scramble around with the Beast’s head.

“So how are you feeling? Saw you were riding with Link there at the end, but I couldn’t see you all in the storm for the most part. Did something happen?”

Smiling shyly, Mipha ducks behind a hand that she uses to pretend that she’s whipping her fin off to the side. “It’s kind of you to be concerned, but it wasn’t anything major really. I lost control of my sandseal and well… Link saved me. The sandseal then ran off and there wasn’t much choice. We just did what was convenient at the moment.”

The platform they’re sitting on starts to shift and the pair hops off before they can get dropped off instead.

“I’ve missed having the little guy around. Tonight, while we stuff our faces, they are going to have to make up for leaving us to get dusty in the desert like that.”

Mipha shoves Daruk lightly. “Be nice, Daruk. Please, they were doing important work. As were we.” Daruk scoffs lightly at that before chuckling. Mipha persists, “Truly. From the little I’ve heard, Link remembered so much that weights down on him now. The fact that he looks so cheerful…”

Mipha and Daruk continue to chatter as the other three come back from their adventure, dustier for being out in the desert air.

“That’s the last one. Are you two ready?” Urbosa calls down to them. Around Mipha and Daruk, Link shifts the floor again to set the Main Control Unit right side up.

Still on the upper floor, Revali holds Link back from following directly after Urbosa.

“Are _you_ ready?” Revali asks him meaningfully. Distractedly, Link finishes with the Slate before slotting it away. The whole time, Link has been on some level either happy-go-lucky or protectively doing things for Urbosa or even just sending Revali strange looks. Something meaningful surely, but nothing Revali has enough time to unpack…

“Are you?” Link asks him back simply.

Mipha tilts her head as she watches the boys hesitate before coming down. They seem to be having a little moment between the two of them. Revali bends his head low and Link wraps his arms around Revali’s middle. Mipha averts her eyes, not sure what she was expecting. She’s happy. Of course she’s happy.

“Have you wet your scales recently?” Urbosa asks clinically: the same way Mipha would ask if Urbosa had thoughts on when to change her bandages.

Mipha shakes her head and pulls out her waterskin. Urbosa presses down on the container, though, also shaking her head. “Best not to make yourself any more conducive than you already are. Can you handle the battle without?”

“She’s right,” Daruk says with a furrowed brow, “Could just drinking help? We can’t let you get too stiff.”

Mipha very much doubts drinking the water would have the same effect, but she takes a drink anyway. She can soften her poor scales later after the fight.

Revali and Link glide down to the Control Unit like a matching pair and Mipha tries not to squeeze her waterskin too hard. They really do look good together.

“If everyone’s ready? Link, why don’t you get this started up,” Urbosa commands, swaying back and forth on her heels. Her sword is already drawn, loosely held in her left hand.

Link walks forward, the other Champions parting the way as he approaches the Main Control Unit. Mipha stands to his left, her trident at the ready. Daruk and Urbosa stand on guard to Link’s right. Meanwhile Revali slowly pulls his bow off his back.

Smog fills the room before a crackling energy takes over. Beside Link, Mipha tries not to let the very air bring her to her knees.

Out of the smog, a long haired Scourge appears. Its hands are a sword-like attachment and an actual Guardian Shield like that of the little training scouts. It lets out a menacing growl, releasing a rush of adrenaline through the Champions. Its singular target-eye scans over the group. Seemingly contemplative.

Revali takes the opportunity to strike a remaining bomb arrow into the Scourge’s eye. It releases a high pitched scream. The Thunderblight distracted, Urbosa runs at the blight: slicing through its Malice coated side with her sword. Her technique, now favoring her left, remains flawless. The Thunderblight swings its sword in a wide motion, only blocked by Urbosa’s skilled reaction time. The sound of the sword vibrating off of her shield is deafening.

Over her shoulder the Thunderblight takes in the remaining Champions. Revali waits in the back for a clear shoot while Daruk is ready to come swiping in whenever Urbosa takes to leap away. Link stands protectively in front of Mipha with a claymore drawn. Behind him, Mipha rests weakly on her trident, watching the field for the first sign of electrical attacks. There.

The Thunderblight shoots a flurry of electrical balls in Urbosa and Daruk’s face. They remain distracted as they dance around the speeding orbs. Free from obstacle, the Thunderblight moves in on Link: faster than Link’s have ever seen. There is no way Mipha can move fast enough to dodge the follow through.

Link drops his claymore to pull out the first shield he can. A wooden shield meant to be used in the later sequences of the inevitable elemental fight stage. The Thunderblight’s sword comes crashing down on Link’s shield, slicing dangerously down into the wood. Link’s eyes dance down from the Thunderblight to examine the shield. Sliced almost like butter, the blade remains only a scant finger’s width away from Link’s bare arm.

An arrow lodges itself into the Thunderblight’s hair. Malice trickles from the wound and the Scourge pulls its sword out deftly from Link’s shield. Just swing it back down with amazing speed. Only one course of action left, Link swings the shield out in an attempt at a parry. The shield shatters from the impact.

The Thunderblight jumps back from Link, as if anticipating the lunge Urbosa makes to cross the distance. Back closer to Daruk, it sends off more volleys of electricity; this time aimed in Daruk’s and Revali’s separate directions.

Knowing he can’t chase the blight down, Daruk slowly moves away from the orbs, waiting for an opportunity to corner it. Urbosa slides to Link’s side as he quickly reaches down to pick his claymore back up.

Reaching for the claymore was Link’s mistake.

Swift as it had left, the Thunderblight swoops back in to unleash a flurry of blows down onto Link’s person. Crouched and defenseless, Link takes the blows straight on. The sword shreds his Gerudo attire, making thick streaks of blood rise to the surface. Somewhere in the room someone cries out.

With mad energy, Urbosa screams as she dives back in at Link’s side. Link’s eyes close with the image of Urbosa arched over him, shoving her sword directly into the belly of the Thunderblight. It’s an epic image: Gerudo attire flared around her and her sword brandished proudly.

He loses consciousness as Mipha drops her trident to slide down to the ground beside him. Her hands travel along his wounds, feeling the depth and severity. It doesn’t look good.

Daruk stands directly behind the Scourge. He waits patiently as it flashes away from Urbosa’s impressive pressure. On cue, the Thunderblight runs back into Daruk’s chest, startling itself. In the moment of hesitation, Daruk takes both of his hands and grips the arms of the Thunderblight hard. Though the blight is strong, Daruk keeps its arms outstretched as Urbosa lands blow after blow after blow.

Not having a clear shoot with Urbosa back in the way, Revali makes the boldly stupid decision and races up to where Mipha is bent over Link. Nothing can be heard over the crackle and clang of the battle before them, but the world around Revali turns to static silence at the scene before him.

Blood spills over the many cuts littered all over Link’s front. It spills, staining his dainty blue attire brownish-red, and coating everything within its reach. Mainly Mipha: who had pulled Link partially up into her lap to better observe his situation. Tears run down Mipha’s face as she clenches her hands together over Link’s arched torso. In contrast, Link’s face looks peaceful like he may be sleeping.

Revali drags his eyes away, painful and necessary, to watch the fight before them. Urbosa is still slicing continuously into the blight. No matter how much it tugs and pulls, Daruk’s hold on it remains strong. It lets out another horrible screech and rips its arms free from Daruk, whipping its horrible body high into the air above them.

Suddenly the Scourge manifests huge ornate metal pillars. With pointed ends, the pillars slam into the ground around the Champions, scattered on both the low and the high ground. Looking to either side of them, Revali counts the three of them lucky to not have been speared by the pillars to both their right and rear. But why the metal pillars..?

Lightning strikes the closest pillar to the Scourge and Revali’s eyes wide open.

“Daruk!” Revali shrieks out over the lightening. Daruk’s own wide eyes avert to his reflexively and horror crashes on the old Goron’s face before he is suddenly rolling their way.

Revali gaps as the lightning comes closer and closer. Daruk hovers over the huddled group: his protection stretching out over all of them in an eerie red glow. Not a moment later, lightning strikes the pillar to their right. The shocks stretch out from pillar, rebounding then off of their dome. White-yellow streaks stretch over their view around them, lighting them up like a Gerudo bauble.

Brow creased, Mipha stays concentrated on her prayers. She hasn’t answered, not yet. Why hasn’t She answered yet?

 _The swordsman was never for me. He was for the land. For you. Just like I am._ The memory of Her words distills in Mipha’s head. They are both supposed to help them, so why isn’t She here when Mipha needs her most?

Mipha thinks distraughtly, focusing all of her thought on bringing Link back. She has healing powers. She has necromancy-like powers. But she needed- She wanted-!

Breathe. Remember. You love him and for everything that has happened, you cannot let yourself let that go. He still needs you. Even if that means little outside of merely keeping him alive. And oh, is there a difference between being alive and truly living!

A break in her pity falls and Mipha lets herself hear it. The pain, the torture. Revali is near, she can sense it. He’s scared, he would have to be. She had his love in her lap and she hasn’t changed that for some time now! A stretching paranoia expands in Mipha’s chest and filling her head. What if she can’t do this?

What if the love is gone? What if her power is actually gone? Now that she’s gone a shut down the avenue her healing power ran down… Encouraged it even. Was Mipha even worth anything anymore to the team? Did she fail?

Did she push herself out of the Goddess’s good favor?

_My child. Calm yourself._

Mipha lets out a wet sob, so far out of her own control. Fat tears fall from her face as she hears Her voice.

_We are here for you. Do not be fooled by your own temperament. Do not forget my good word. He is no one’s alone. So bring him back, Healer. He is ready to come back home._

Revali watches Mipha’s pinched face, the tears falling from her face. He feels the panic. Did this normally take so long? This has already taken a long time! Daruk is also looking on in concern, not helping Revali’s mood. In the bubble, he can’t even help Urbosa: the only one in any position to make constructive progress in the fight against the Thunderblight.

So Revali falls to his knees, just watching. Words are falling from Mipha’s mouth, heavy but low. Too low to hear over the din outside Daruk’s Protection. Her face floods with relief.

He’s ready to come back home.

Blue light seeps out of the floor around Mipha and Link. Revali shuffles back to give them room. First the blood. The blood weaves away from where it had seeped, pulls itself out of the stains in their clothes and back to the wounds in Link’s body. Then the wounds seal themselves and Revali could cry from the relief.

Link takes his first shaking breath and Mipha lurches forward to pull the swordsman to herself. She’s crying again, her shoulders shaking. Blinking slowly, obviously dazed, Link weakly raises his arms to pat Mipha’s back. His eyes search out the scene around them, but land on Revali instead.

Revali isn’t sure how he should feel under that undead gaze. He knows rightly that he should be relieved. He is, that is first and foremost. But he’s also so heartbroken and protective. Revali wants nothing more now than to pick Link up away from Mipha and just fly him away. Fuck this mission. Fuck regaining anymore of the Divine Beasts. He’s tired of watching Link kill himself over and over for this lofty goal that’s just so much higher than they could ever reach.

Tired and knowing there’s no way out, Revali just slumps and wraps his wings around Mipha and Link.

Urbosa raises her hand above her head. She pulled on her Thunder Helm again a long time ago, when the first strikes of lightning were landing. Sweat glistens off of ever toned muscle on her body and Urbosa knows that if she goes down now she will never be able to forgive herself.

Her hand is raised and she gives one last glance at the dome encompassing her friends.

Urbosa snaps her fingers.

The Thunderblight lights up with the electrical charge of a thunderstorm. Its body jolts and sizzles over its bare Malice, then falls down heavily onto the ground before her.

Urbosa takes her Scimitar into her right hand, gripping it firmly in both hands, before striking down into its eye in a final blow. The cursed thing screeches on last time under her heel before its body slumps down once again. Smog blows away from its body, dissipating the monster from existence.

Urbosa holds her sword slightly in the air, right where it had rested when it had slide into the eye of the Scourge, before slowly relaxing her arm. She holds the Scimitar loosely again at her side, but a manic smile spreads over her face. When she turns back to her fellow Champions, all of their smiling faces great her.

Daruk drops the bubble and Revali drops his head to rest fully in between Link’s and Mipha’s.

The first to speak, Daruk lets out a loud chortle before laughing out, “Well, after that, I think we’re prepared for whatever show your Divine Beast has behind it, Revali.”

“What is that to mean? Are you saying my Scourge will be easier? What do you know?” Revali protests, lifting his head immediately to argue with Daruk.

“Nothing, nothing… Just that wind magic can’t be nearly this deadly-“

“Again, what would you know?! You hulking mass of rock! You wouldn’t know deadly if it turned you on your head and made you eat poison all day!”

“Is that poison injected into a Rock Roost?”

“Certainly!”

“Then it will be another cause worth dying for…”

Urbosa chuckles as she walks slowly over. Good to see that the others are in high spirits. That means she can focus on her concern for another certain someone… Who is still laying all over Mipha, not a shameful bone in his little Hylian body to give.

She squats down in front of Link, watching with interest as Mipha averts her eyes by ducking her head behind Link.

“How are you feeling, Link? You took quite the hit…”

Link looks up at Urbosa with his big puppy dog eyes. How adorable. He gives her a thumbs up and Urbosa returns it, not expecting much more out of him until he’s recovered some more.

“Then let’s get you home. We’ll all be needing our rest after a day like this.”

Mipha looks up into Urbosa’s eyes and Urbosa can see the truth in her own words written plainly on the Zora girl’s face. They’ll have something to unpack it seems when they get back. Not that Urbosa minds. Urbosa would sit through countless hours with any one of these heroes if it meant they all could leave this battle safe in body and in mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if it seems rushed, but Happy New Years everyone!! Also, Link has died now four times in the totality of this story and I wouldn't count on this time being the last. He's just such a killable person, what can I say? 
> 
> I'm going to take a break for this coming week... like I probably should have done for you know. The holidays.   
> So I'm gonna make it up to myself and work on some personal stuff, but then I'll be back the following Tuesday for sure! 
> 
> Until then, hope you had a good Winter Vacation and good luck in the New Year! <3


	37. Wasteland

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> aaaaah this chapter was supposed to have a daruk & link moment too, but not enough time! also, mipha was super needy hahaha  
> but thanks for reading, I hope it a cool little time! I really wanted some of the general family vibes to push through this chapter. They're all dorks who love each other! We'll touch up on that more later. 
> 
> I'll see you guys next Tuesday!
> 
> PS. for Tobias   
> About your comment. That's super secret and props for noticing that old Easter egg! But also, I don't know if I will be able to write about that stuff since this fic has gotten so long and out of hand. It's up in the air! Thanks for your comment! <3 <3 <3

Mipha turns away from the Hotel Oasis. Inside, they had situated Link into a comfortable bed. Now ready to spend an evening recovering with Revali by his side. Fussing over his knotted locks and strained face. It’s a familiar twinge, which Mipha tries to suppress. Link is for everyone. She had her share up in Vah Naboris already.  

“Care to join me at The Noble Canteen?”

Mipha starts and looks up to find Daruk standing by a tree in the town square.

“We could all use a drink after that one,” he adds, already walking her way. Mipha pauses in surprise, midstep, before swiveling and following after him.

“Alcohol doesn’t really help much as it is only a temporary balm more often than not. Medically speaking at least,” Mipha scorns softly, giving Daruk what she hopes comes off as a playfully reproachful look.

Daruk shakes his head. “Now, if that isn’t an admittance of injury then I don’t know what is,” Daruk leans her way, secretively adding, “Maybe with a glass or two, you’ll be more willing to share what is troubling that head of yours.”

“Oh, Daruk…” Mipha shakes her head. She runs an uneasy hand up her other arm, feeling the dry scales there. Caught up in the downfall from Vah Naboris, Mipha hasn’t taken the time to rehydrate. At this rate, at least a few of her scales will fall off by morning, no matter how much she hydrates them.

Daruk gives her a critical once over, Mipha’s attention still caught on her scales.

When they approach The Noble Canteen, Daruk slows, but walks past the stairs. Mipha quirks her brow at him and he turns to thumb down the alley. “Why don’t we go check up on that girl’s garden? See if she needs anymore help.”

Mipha’s eyes catch longingly on the stairs to the bar, her chance to rehydrate now another step away. Still, she sighs and nods, following Daruk back into one of the many nooks of Gerudo Town. In the low light of the setting sun, Mipha’s caught by surprise at what she sees back there. A small group of Wildberry bushes grow in the sandy soil. A couple of berries are already starting to ripen.

Slowly, Mipha walks in farther to take a closer look. Seeing his opportunity, Daruk discreetly shoves Mipha’s shoulder and makes her lose her balance. Her leg catches on the ledge of the aqueduct drain and Mipha tumbles back into the small waterfall. Daruk laughs loudly at her stricken face.  

“I’m sorry-!” Daruk laughs, wiping a string of tears from his one eye, “I only meant- you’re face! Bwahaha!”

“Oh, very funny,” Mipha pouts, folding her arms. Internally, she allows herself the immense relief by being somewhat submerged. Though she also feels guilty for contaminating the Gerudo people’s drinking water. “You know they drink this right? This was not a good prank.”

“Please, they obviously filter it. What about the garbage they’re willing to through in? Not to mention the other things we’ve seen up there.” Mipha grimaces at the thought. Sure, maybe there have been dirtier things than herself in the aqueducts. But still that doesn’t mean that this is-

Daruk barrels through her internal debate with his own rambling, “I’ll be right back with some drinks, and we can talk here. Just sit tight. No rolling off!”

With dry humor, Mipha watches the Goron turn tail back to The Noble Canteen. Well.

Mipha looks up into the waterfall and a sigh escapes her. It looks like she’s at the mercy of Daruk’s stubbornness tonight. If she didn’t know better, she’d be scared.

However, if she hadn’t learn to trust in her friends, then she would have not grown at all as a person since her rebirth. After learning the truth, Mipha wants to do better. Get better. And doing better this time around means growing outside of her old assumptions. Letting other people’s understandings of morals and integrity be as they are. Her fellow Champions are good people with good morals and good follow through.

And if one of her fellow Champions says to sit in the town’s drinking water while she waits from him to get her an adult beverage, then that is what she will do. This is growth.  

Mipha leans back into the waterfall more, letting the water run over her face and over the front of her neck. She breathes in the oxygen in the stream and its refreshing to say the least. Mipha can’t quite say when the last time she took a proper breather in a body of water was. Bathes of course not counting. Who would want to breathe in their own stench anyway?

Daruk walks in slowly, seeing Mipha leaned back into the waterfall. Her face tilted up into the splash. She looks so peaceful, he’d hate to disturb her. Daruk tries to be quiet, setting her Noble Pursuit on the ledge surrounding the pool of water. Mipha tilts her head back and blinks the water out of her eyes when Daruk goes to sit down on the ground, his arm hooked over the ledge casually.

“Feeling any better yet?” he asks casually, happy to see a little less stress in the creases of the Zora’s face.

“A bit, though your method of treatment is a little… unorthodox.”

“That’s the Goron way.”

“You say that about almost everything that one would point out about you.”

“Well I am The Lord Daruk of the Goron. Who else better to say what is Goron and what is not?”

Mipha manages to stave off rolling her eyes in favor of reaching for her drink. The cool glass feels like a small paradise in her hands. She sucks on the straw, nudging the little umbrella. The drink is cold and refreshing, sweet but not overpowering. The little kick helps too. Mipha sighs, slinking further down into the water pool.

A quiet moment passes between the two Champions. Occasionally, Daruk will lift his draft and drink. Mipha stays curled cozily in the water, sometimes letting it run over her face.

It’s when she starts sucking on her straw again that Daruk turns to her. He asks, “That was the first time I’ve ever seen you… bring someone back to life. Is it a draining process?”

Mipha quirks her head, the straw still in her mouth. She takes a moment to contemplate her response before answering: “It isn’t quite like a magic like everyone else’s. I pray… Though I suppose you could say the prayer can be… emotionally taxing. I could not pray this time like I had before. It was rather worrisome process…”

Daruk’s eyebrows raise. “I’d say. So when you resurrected Link, are you in some sort of bartering situation with the Goddess?”

Mipha frowns and sits her drink down on the ledge before resting her elbows there as well. “No. If anything it is the Goddess… encouraging me. Saying things to trick me into doing better.”

“Trick you? What could she say that would be a trick?”

Mipha blushes and lowers her face away from Daruk’s searching eyes. “That… That is personal, Daruk. Between me and Her.”

Daruk’s eyebrows raise even higher. “Of course, my apologies.” For a moment, Daruk chews over what Mipha had said while Mipha tries to think of a way to dig herself out of this exact conversation. Feeling like she’s said too much already.

Daruk continues, asking, “Could… Now I don’t know anything about prayer and all… Healing magic. But could your conflict be the cause for delay when resurrecting someone?”

“It cannot just be someone…” Mipha answers cautiously, avoiding Daruk’s original point, “I believe… Only Link can be resurrected. He is favored by the Goddess. If anyone were as reckless as him and… Well I cannot say for sure what the outcome would be. But I fear for the worst.”

“Oh…” A shadow casts over Daruk’s face, the new understanding coloring everything from the past with a new light.

“Right…” After a drawn out pause, Mipha is the one to continue the conversation, “In the stories about the person I used to be… You know how people can be. They build up your old achievements. Make you out to be… to be something you probably weren’t?”

“Right.”

“Well… They say that I used to have healing magic. That I could heal almost any wound instantly.”

Daruk looks at Mipha puzzled then. “But that isn’t true..?”

“No,” Mipha shakes her head, “I do not know how tall of a tale that is. I cannot remember… Well I do remember… but medicine is as much a science as anything else. There are rules. There are procedures. There is so much for me to remember, Daruk. I’ve learned so much already.”

She throws her hands up then. “But what was once written down might not exist anymore! How can I remember _everything_ if- if… Daruk, there is no record on _how_ I healed. No explanation. What if a prayer is worse? What if it is like yours and Urbosa’s gift? What if I upset Her by using it on someone who isn’t Link? What if I make a wound worse, just from inexperience? What _if-_ “

“Mipha,” Daruk interrupts her, placing his one hand over her two raised hands, “Take a breath.” She stops, instantly going into the deep breathing exercises used to curb panic. “Good… Listen, I know this is hard on you. I get it. This is a sizable mental block that you’ve got and it has to be frustrating. Take a step back. And don’t be unkind to yourself by blaming yourself for not figuring it out. Let’s start with what we need to know, and work our way down…”

Mipha takes a deep breath and nods.

“If Link dies… again…” Daruk starts, “Could you resurrect him?”

“I don’t know…” Mipha answers miserably.

“No, I’m not asking if you will. I’m asking: could you.”

Mipha frowns at Daruk, balling her hands into fists to feel her claws against her palms. “It’s happened before. Statistically: I could. Daruk-“

“Say what the Goddess would say to you. To yourself. Tell yourself what She would tell you when you feel uncertain.”

Feeling exaggerated, Mipha sighs, “Daruk-“

“For me? Just try it.”

“…Okay…” Mipha darts her eyes from Daruk then away, a heat coming back to her face. She closes her eyes and thinks. What the Goddess would say? She’s gone over this kind of thing before. Today only reaffirmed that She wanted Mipha to feel at least a small piece of entitlement towards Link, which is horrible in almost every way-

“Mipha?”

“Yes?”

 “How do you feel?”

“Horrible.”

Daruk sighs, rubbing his hand over his face, “Is that the feeling you feel when you successfully resurrect him?”

“…No.”

“Move on from that thought then.”

What more is there to think? The feelings she got from everything else made Mipha feel… happy. Like she mattered to Link. Like what they have exists for a reason and for the betterment of the kingdom at large. It’s a fake feeling. She shouldn’t feel this good about coveting something that isn’t hers…

“Daruk…” Mipha says softly, her eyes still closed. Her brow is pinched and her lips are pulled taunt on her face. Like she swallowed something unpleasant tasting. “Maybe resurrecting Link… Isn’t the right thing to be doing. Morally speaking. These things that I’m feeling… They make me feel so… gross. And horrible. And ashamed… It was easier to do back when I didn’t know… On Ruta… But now-“ Mipha’s throat tightens on her and she has to swallow her words to breathe right.

Daruk leans over the ledge and pulls Mipha in for a tight hug, where she flops up onto his shoulder like she had been growing so comfortable doing recently. Daruk had no idea there was so much turmoil in his little friend’s head. That she had been suffering something of this magnitude for so long…

“Is there anything I can do to help..?” he asks over her back.

She shakes her head, her arms around his neck tightening. Her small form shakes for a moment under his hand before she pulls back to look into Daruk’s eyes. Mipha’s own being watery and her lower lip trembles. “It’s- at the end of the day- It’s w… worth it though, isn’t it? Feeling so bad? L-Link… He- he deserves t-to be ha…” Her voice hitches and she swallows again a couple times.

“Hush now,” Daruk says, his heart clenching. He pulls her back on her shoulder and Mipha schools her treasonous tears. Daruk rubs a reassuring hand over her back as he talks, his grumbly voice vibrating through Mipha completely. “I can’t pretend like I know what this is all about. I really can’t and I don’t think you’d want me to. But it does make me want to give the Goddess what-for, for making you feel so broken up over it…”

Surprised, Mipha lets a laugh out before swallowing that down to and pulling back to give Daruk a stern look. “You cannot simply just… ‘give the Goddess what for.’ That’s blasphemous!” A crinkling around her teary eyes betrays her. Mipha’s face grows more serious as she looks away, adding, “Besides… it is my own fault. I brought this on myself, all those many many years ago. It is only catching up with me now that I am fully seeing its consequences. Oh, what a fool I’ve been, Daruk… What a fool…”

“You know I wouldn’t judge you, Mipha…”

Mipha smushes her lips together before answering, “I know… Though you should.”

“The more you tell me about this problem, the more that sounds unlikely. Even if you did something wrong… You sound like you wish you could change it. Talking about it might be that next step you need.”

“But will it actually help? Or just embarrass me…”

“Will you heal Link if he dies again?” Mipha remains silent, though her face remains pinched. “It sounds like something that’s worth taking a risk on then. For Link.”

Mipha’s brow scrunches up even more, the visual of someone on the cusp of losing their calm. “It’s _always for Link_ , Daruk. Don’t you understand? From day _one_ it has _always_ been for Link and for _once_ I would like to just be able to _help_ in a way that isn’t so _completely and utterly devoted to being_ for _Link!_ ” Her breath comes ragged then and her cheeks turn red as she registers what she said. “Oh-! Oh, I… I mean…”

“Mipha…” Daruk sets Mipha down on the edge of the water pool, letting her get her bearings. He settles down on the ground, but keeps one hand outstretched to her. She grabs one of his fingers absently while she thinks in some sort of frenzy. Trying to make right of the mess of words she’d just said.

“Not that… I don’t… I _care_ about everyone. All of the Champions. My family. I- I don’t know why I said-“

“But you are a Champion because of Link. Aren’t you.”

“Yes…” Mipha answers, lowering her head, “I… You know. I loved him. I would do anything to make sure he was safe.”

Sensing a change in tone, Daruk prods her, “What changed?”

Mipha’s eyes go wide and she looks shocked as she replies, “Everything! Right after I resurrected him: the first time, I should add. He came out as gay! And _then_ , I went and pushed him and Revali together. You saw how they look at each other now. Link looks loopy with it- and I can’t just keep…”

Daruk waits expectantly for Mipha to finish her thought, but she can’t seem to finish her sentiment. When it never comes to her, Daruk leans in saying, “I’m getting this feeling. I could be wrong. But you feel like because you can’t love Link how you had wanted to before, that you can’t love him now.”

Daruk continues, not waiting for any denial to stop his thought process, “I don’t believe I’ve ever said it, I didn’t think that it needed to be said, but Zora are not Goron and I should have thought on that more. When I call you a sister, Mipha, I’m calling you family. It is a way that Goron tell each other that we love each other, that we include them this way. It’s an unspoken rule… But for you I’ll tell you. I love you. I will never be ashamed to say it. You deserve to know how much I care about you.”

Mipha’s eyes tear up and she raises a hand to her mouth. “Daruk… I… Well I love you too. You have meant so much to me, even from our earliest days. It worried me to no end when you left us…”

“I know. Parting ways is a mistake I think neither of us will make again,” Daruk grins and Mipha giggles, “But Mipha. Can’t you see? Us Champions. We are a family already. We all care. I am doing this just as much for you as I am doing this for Link. Though I will admit,” Daruk raises a hand secretively, “I liked Urbosa the most at first.” He lowers his hand in a spreading gesture. “None of that matters now. Everything is different.”

Mipha nods her head slowly, her hand still by her mouth. “I think so. I may not be able to love Link like I had once let myself… But there are other ways to love him and I shouldn’t stop myself from caring about him… You… Wait…”

She halts, putting the pieces together in her mind, “How did you..? While thinking about it this way, it would be much easier to heal Link, does that mean-?”

“Right,” Daruk says as he stands up, proud of the headway they’ve made together tonight. “See, my magic comes from the need to protect people I care about. In not so many words, Urbosa has told me the same thing. So the stretch is… It could be the same for you.”

Daruk leans down and cups the side of Mipha’s head before kissing the top of it lightly. “I love you, Mipha. I need to sleep, but think about this more, okay?” Daruk holds his hand on Mipha’s head for a moment longer before dropping it and picking up his jug.

“I love you too. Thank you and sleep well, Daruk…”

Daruk smiles Mipha’s way, saying, “Goodnight, Princess.” Then he leaves the secluded garden.

Mipha contemplates her own glass, mostly empty. In a rush, she picks it up and drinks the dregs from the lip of the glass itself. She swiftly puts the glass back on the ledge and leans back into the waterfall to sigh into that endless stream.

She loves Link and that is what lets her resurrect him. The Goddess allows her to bring him back not for any other reason but because Mipha cares so much about him… for him. Mipha suddenly gets the feeling that anyone who were to attempt to resurrect Link for the Hero he was, would not be nearly as successful as she is. A shocked giggle leaves her. It was true. Anyone else would take up to a hundred years to bring him back. The Goddess truly does favor certain people. And it looks like Mipha’s one of them.

A warm fuzziness tickles Mipha’s head. She knows it’s probably the alcohol, getting the best of her as it does. In her highly emotional, very spiritually leaning, state of mind: she’d like to think that it was the grace of the Goddess instead. Blessing the passing thought of Her love in Mipha’s mind. The thought brings a wave a comfort through her and as comfortable as she is, she can’t help but to fall asleep under the water of the aqueduct.

The next morning, Link looks around a forgotten corner of Gerudo Town, a little ways past The Noble Canteen. There are the Wildberry bushes, just like Daruk said there would be. Link goes further into the nook to look inside the aqueduct. Inside, Mipha rests peacefully with her chest rising and falling in big even puffs.

Smiling gently, Link watches for a moment before climbing into the water with her. He removes his veil and headdress in the privacy of the secluded space, then tilts his own head back under the water. The coolness feels great and washes away the grit of the desert.

“Mm..?” Mipha hums, waking up from the disturbance of the water flow.

Link leans out of the water and watches as Link blinks her eyes open. When it looks like her focus is back he signs, “Good morning.”

Mipha blinks again slowly before she takes in her surroundings. Her glass from the Canteen still sits in front of her. Mipha’s face flushes at her own indulgence and she finds it hard to look Link’s way.

“Good… Good morning, Link…”

Link waits for Mipha to glance his way again before he signs, “You sleep well last night?”

She smiles faintly and nods. “Best sleep I’ve had in months.”

Link nods his head understandingly, smiling. He looks down into the water and drags his hand through. He makes a dramatic face as the dead scales slip past his hand. “Gross,” he signs.

To which Mipha sighs, “You did not have to join me… Oh my… We really are just sitting in my filth, aren’t we…”

“It’s fine. Are you okay?” Link asks, still signing.

Mipha tilts her head, grimacing at the thought. “I’d rather not look at the damage honestly. But I suppose I’ll have to tend to my scales eventually.” Mipha’s brow wrinkles and she glances down at Link’s hands again. “Did you learn more sign? You weren’t so fluent when you left.”

Link nods happily, hands moving, “I remembered more. People… use it.” “In Lurelin…” Link speaks the village’s name quietly, not having a sign for the word. He moves his hands, though, to continue, “I want to use it more, but no one knows how to except you…” Link’s eyes linger on Mipha for a moment and he winces. “Will you be fine? Getting out of the water…”

Bracing herself, Mipha chances a glance down her own body to take stock. Her limbs are stiff and she’s almost certain that once she sits up properly more scales will fall off. Her stomach is a big concern. When she lifts her arms out of the water, the air stings her skin. With a soft sigh, Mipha tries to burrow herself farther back into the water stream.

Thinking over her request for a moment, Mipha hesitates before signing, “Fetch my lotions, please. Just bring all of them…” Not having something to call Urbosa, Mipha sighs out, “Urbosa will know where…”

Link leaves, still as cheery as he had come. That’s good, Mipha thinks distantly, refusing to focus on her hurting scales. Link’s been openly joyful ever since him and Revali had returned to the desert. Maybe a little out of his depth, but… The change is noticeable.  

Mipha closes her eyes for what feels like only a moment, only to blink them back open rapidly as she hears footsteps come near.

“-really she’s a princess, Urbosa should have set her up in her own bath for the night… Look, so dingy-“ Revali comes into view, Link by his side with Mipha’s bag strapped over himself. Unfortunately no Urbosa nor Daruk seem to be on their way as well.

Revali’s eyebrows raise as he takes in Mipha under the waterfall. His beak falls open slightly before he closes it with a clack, then nearly makes Link fall over by tugging on the strap of the bag. Revali tugs Link over to Mipha and sits as close by the water as he can, hovering over her in what she must assume is his approximation of concern. She’s touched.    

Slowly, Mipha pushes herself up out of the water. Her jaw clenches with the pain of the open air, but she pulls herself up to the ledge next to Revali. Much to Revali and Link’s nervous dismay.

“Thank you for bring my bag. Link?”

Link jumps and is quick to set the bag in front of Mipha. While she searches out her cures, Revali watches with interest.

“Daruk says you made a break through with your medicine last night…”

Mipha smiles, finally finding her last bottle. She sets in down and picks up a different one to get started with. She tries not to audibly sigh when the relieving cream touches her sensitive skin.

“Funny you would say it like that,” Mipha counters, “Since Daruk was the one to help me so much with my ‘break through’. Though a revelation, I suppose, is a better way to phrase it.”

“Is that so?”

“My magic, at its core, thrives off of the need to help and protect those I care about. It was easier for me to make the connection in a life or death situation, but in more minor cases… I could not heal as fast as some Zora tales have remarked on. At first I thought they were mere fairytales. Today… Well, today we’ll see for ourselves…”

The lotion ran over her left arm, Mipha lifts her right hand like how she would hover her hands over Link while revitalizing him. Revitalizing. That’s a nicer word for it. She will have to be nicer to herself if she hopes for this to work. Kinder to herself. She is healing herself so that she can be more useful to her team, and for Hyrule. They need her.

A light glow flickers over her skin, and Revali leans in with further interest. The scales and skin under Mipha’s hand patch up under her… is it a spell? He can’t quite tell. He’s never seen anything like it.

Link’s eyes widen as he watches. It is just like the memory he had had of them on Vah Ruta. She would talk on and on while healing his scratches and bruises. Link hadn’t even considered the idea that Mipha had yet to fully be tuned in with her abilities. He had so much trust in her own understanding of herself…

“So you are thinking about protection while you heal?” Revali asks, always nosey. Link frowns his way, though he can’t blame him for wanting to know. Link finds himself just as curious.

Mipha falters, but continues to heal until her skin isn’t so raw on that arm anymore. The scales don’t look new, but at least healthier than they were. No more seem to want to fall away at least.

“It depends who I heal. Right now, I am thinking how healing myself will help in my duty to heal others… It’s a little more round about, but it gets the job done.”

“Not because you would like to protect yourself?” Revali asks curiously.

Mipha frowns. “Well, yes, I would like to be safe, I suppose. For my family’s sake. But… Well, my healing works best when there is a… feeling behind it. Some sort of warmth. It would take… well, _your_ own levels of self-love to… to be able to heal in a more straight forward way like that…”

Revali makes a face and looks Link’s way. “I can’t tell if that was an insult or not. Though I am inclined to take it as one.” Link snorts, shaking his head.

“Why don’t you two get ready? Like this, I should be okay to go today,” Mipha insists.

“I’ll pick you up some Snowquill before we head to the Beast. You’ll need it,” Revali offers, already standing up. Link looks split before Mipha gives him an encouraging smile, already working on her other arm.

Mipha hesitates with her next thought, but pushes it through her lips before they can leave, “And- And hey? I’m… really really proud to know you two. I just… Want you to know. I love you both like family.”

Link and Revali hesitate at the archway and Link whips his head back Mipha’s way. For a hot moment, he looks back and forth between Revali and Mipha for some sort of formal sign. Or invitation. Mipha is adamant to not look their way, but Revali sees the need there and he nudges Link to go back to Mipha.

With the nudge, Link stumbles back over to Mipha, and hugs her around her shoulders as tenderly as he can. Sadly, she winces anyway and Link quickly pulls away to give her a sheepish smile.

He pulls out a quick sign, a small “I love you”, before running back to Revali with red cheeks. Revali chuckles as they walk away. They’ll go talk to Urbosa, then make their trip to Rito Village for the Snowquill. No doubt they will need to pick up two sets.

Revali looks down at Link’s still embarrassed face, smiling at the boyish charm there.

“That was a cute little sign. Does it mean what I think..?”

Link shoves Revali, making him titter before he laughs and reaches to shove Link back.


	38. Tabantha

Later after Revali and Link had returned with the Snowquill, the Champions teleport to the Divine Beast Vah Medoh. It’s a shock from the desert heat, but Revali shakes it out. Mipha, Urbosa, and Daruk look out behind them at the stretch of land just visible beyond the landing.

“Come on, you’ll have time to enjoy the view after we’re done here,” Revali clips, already drawing his bow to deal with the thread of Malice hanging about in the entry.

Mipha and Urbosa head on in after Revali, leaving Link to wait patiently as Daruk looks out still. Daruk’s jaw drops slightly and he puts out a hand to support himself against the structure of the Beast.

Concerned, Link comes closer and puts his hand on Daruk’s arm. Daruk looks down briefly at Link before looking out at the scenery again. He nods, looking winded already. “Never… been this far from the ground before…” He’s looking pale, but he shakes his head. “Don’t worry, little buddy. I’ll be fine, go on and catch up with the others.”

Link frowns slightly, but he backs up. Still hesitating, he doesn’t leave until Daruk chuckles and waves him off. When Link catches up with the other four, they’re all standing around a ledge, looking out over the layout in front of them.

“This could be difficult,” Urbosa mutters as Link pulls up beside her.

“Well every other Beast was tailored to its race of people. I don’t know why you would have thought this one would be any different,” Revali huffs, folding his wings over his chest. He, too, seems frustrated with the problem facing them.

Link looks back to the air current, blowing in a convenient location for easy aerial drifting, then out past the open floor to the pedestal on the opposite end from them. It isn’t obvious yet what the moving mechanism is, but first things first.

Link shakes his hand Mipha’s way and signs, “Be right back. Getting the map,” before rushing back up the slope over to the air current.

Revali frowns as the three of them watch Link. “What was that?”

“He… said he’s going to get the map,” Mipha answers, bemused as the rest. Link’s tuft of yellow hair appears over the edge before he pops up on his paraglider. They watch with interest as Link sends himself soaring over them, landing with a cringy thud against the metal fencing of a floating platform. With one hand he shakes the paraglider vigorously and the other he holds tight to the fence. Eventually he gets the paraglider back in order and climbs up to the platform.

When he gets to the top, he turns around and gives them a thumbs up. There is some audible release of breath amongst the three spectators.

Link turns around and opens the chest before he runs off to glide further over to the area with the map.  

“You aren’t chasing after him?” Mipha asks, waddling slightly closer to Revali’s side.

“Huh?” Revali answers articulately, “No. Link can handle himself. He’s crossed leagues with me in the air. He can glide the length of a room without my helpful guidance.”

“Oh!” Urbosa gasps under her breath as they watch Link let go of his paraglider, midair.

“Just watch,” Revali says in anticipation.

With rapid speed, Link pulls out his bow and shoots three arrows into the eye of the Guardian Scout on the other end of the room. It’s like he’s suspended in air, the paraglider never drifting out of his radius. Link grabs the handles of the paraglider quickly, the bow slide over his elbow, and he glides easily to the floor as the Scout explodes behind him.

Link lands safely, letting both his paraglider and bow slide to the ground by the pedestal. As he sets about opening the map for the area, Urbosa turns to Revali.

“Did you teach him that?”

Revali sighs, “I’d like to take the credit, but I didn’t actually do much teaching. It was more of him just… Being Link. One day he’s paying closer attention to my form, the next he’s copying my moves on a dragon no less…”

“Ah, right. The ‘dragon’ of Faron… Please tell more,” Urbosa comments, rubbing her hands together. The cold bite is hard to ignore.

“Of course, though you speak in disbelief. The Faron dragon, Farosh, is a fearsome and awe-inspiring sight. True, hard to believe, I could not make it up if I tried. Link has a picture, you’ll have to look at it when he comes back.”

Link comes back quickly, hopping between the blocks that are linked up on a trio of metal railings. The last block looks impossible for someone so small to jump, but his running leap makes the distance to everyone’s relief.

Grinning, Link huffs white clouds as he shows them the map for the structure. Revali slowly makes his way closer to Link’s side to put a subtle wing around the Hylian’s side. It’s crazy to Link just how clingy the Rito had gotten in only the course of a day. Though he can’t blame, Revali. Getting together and then immediately facing the threat of death would make anyone clingy. Link can’t say that he minds.

Urbosa takes the Slate from Link, leaving Link and Revali to look at it upside downs. The locations of the other pedestals seems logical, for once, and even kind of easy to access. At least, for those with gliding abilities. It really only leads the question back around to what the moving mechanism could be.

For a brief moment, Link notices Mipha’s eye drift to the wing around him. Despite their differences and road blips, Link recognizes that Mipha is his oldest friend and he hadn’t told her yet of this new… thing. She had left so early last night and today there’s been no time in the rush to get ready.

She doesn’t seem to think anything of their closeness, though, and her eyes return back to the map with a critical sharpness.

Revali leans his beak down to Link’s ear, sending warm air there with a whisper, “Show them Farosh. Urbosa won’t believe me otherwise.”  

It’s then that Urbosa swipes the buttons on the map and everyone loses their balance. Revali’s weight falls over Link and Link is forced to try to hold the Rito up while not falling himself. Mipha goes to the floor completely. Urbosa just manages to keep herself on her feet by crouching low, the Slate kept close to her chest. Quickly, Urbosa changes the setting back to bring the wingspan back to even ground.

Daruk comes to the entrance, looking out over the other Champions as they all regain their footing. His face looking pale, he calls out, “Was that because of you guys?”

“Yes, sorry for the lack of warning,” Urbosa calls back, still studying the map.

“No problem to me,” Daruk reassures as he walks down the ramp to meet the others, “Didn’t affect the tail end at all. Just saw the wings tilt and thought I should see what’s up… You’ve got the map already?”

“Link, went and-“

Mipha interrupts Revali as she moves closer to study Daruk, “Are you alright? You look a bit… off colored…”

Daruk laughs, though it’s a bit weak, raising a hand up behind his head, “Yeah? Have to admit, flying is a new experience for me.”

“Maybe I could give you a herbal… Is it your stomach?” Mipha asks quizzically, already digging through her supplies, “I’m not sure how it would affect a Goron… You’re such sturdy people.”

Daruk chuckles again, bending over Mipha and watching as she peddles between her different herbs and minerals.

In the meantime, Link convinces Revali to check out the belly of the Divine Beast, coated in Malice. They remove it, collecting the chests and nose about the workings under the wings. There looks to be a cart system, which could be helpful later.

“So… What do you think? I think it’s easy to say that my Divine Beast is the nicest of the four,” Revali putters, looking out past Link through the Malice blocking their way out to one of the wings.

Link shrugs, half smiling from teasing Revali and half smiling from the new giddy nerves he gets now whenever they’re alone together. It might turn out to be a problem if he doesn’t get ahold of himself.

He pecks Revali’s beak lightly before heading back to the air vent, back to the others.

On the main floor, they find Daruk holding a jar of smelling salts to his face, breathing them in deeply. His face looks more relaxed than ever. Link pats Daruk’s arm reassuringly and Daruk nods Link’s way, a relieved smile on his face.

The Champions work in tandem from then on, taking on each new challenge with gusto. They use the platforms and wing tilt to their advantage and get everyone jumping from one platform to the next over to the right wing corridor. Communication is key, and often through the windy chaos of the first pedestal, Mipha and Link find themselves signing to each other what they’re next move will be.

Once someone has to go underneath the wing to access the next pedestal, Revali takes the Sheikah Slate to fly down and up to the other side. While he’s gone, Link waits with Urbosa, Mipha, and Daruk on the other side of the door for him. Assuming it will open once Revali has activated the pedestal.

Link stares at Mipha, feeling like he should tell her about Revali. They were friends. Things could go wrong at any point. He should tell her. It feels weird for it to be something that the others don’t really know. About them. Hm. They should have done this earlier. It was all just so new then and everything feels so rushed…

“Link?” Mipha asks, startling Link out of his focused thoughts, “Do you need something?”

Caught off guard, Link is quick to shake his head, but then stops when he thinks that this could be his chance to say it. Get it out there.

He motions with his hands, but stops. They don’t have a sign for Revali. Hm… Link makes the sign of a bird, tapping his first finger and thumb together twice in front of his mouth. Then he reaches up to motion for ‘brain’, tapping again twice but now over his forehead.

“Bird…” Mipha says questioningly, but then giggles and signs, “What about bird brain?”

Link rushes his hands, just to get it over with, “We are together. A couple. I wanted to tell you, just. Yeah. So.”

Mipha giggles, bringing the attention of Daruk and Urbosa to the exchange. Though they stay out of it for now. They know how special Mipha finds her small interactions with Link. They’ve all gone through too much for either of them to want to break their moment.

Mipha signs back, “Happy for you. Bird brain is a lot, but… You do a lot for each other.”

Link chuckles, rolling his eyes, but feeling really good all of a sudden. He guesses maybe he expected something more negative, honestly. Mipha is well… Mipha. Her reactions can be hard to pin down.

Revali appears not much later, coming up some slope under the floor on the other side of the glass wall. They watch with some interest as he fumbles with the Sheikah Slate, not sure how to place it inside the pedestal.

Link chuckles again and makes the signs for bird brain.

Mipha laughs as well, but then makes the sign for sweetheart, pushing her fists together and wiggling her thumbs. She laughs again as Link blushes endearingly in response.

The door opens, Mipha’s laugh now only a breathy giggle. Link looks to Revali pleadingly, signing as he walks back to the group, “Help. She knows too much.”

Revali looks down at Link’s pathetic face with only the barest sympathy. “You know I can’t read your signs… But here, you can have this back.” He then hands back the Sheikah Slate helpfully. Link looks at it with doubt, but takes the Slate back all the same.

“Don’t worry, we’re just as lost as you on that. These two have been chattering to themselves ever since you left,” Urbosa injects as they all walk back to the main room.

Daruk nods, adding, “It is odd, isn’t it? So secretive they are and how suspicious it is after one person leaves the room…”

“Suspicious indeed,” Revali says, eyes connecting with Link’s. Link shakes his head, denying guilt of any misdeed.

“One might think they were gossiping of all things. Not that we would know much about that, would we, Daruk?” Urbosa continues, readying herself for her first jump.

“No, not at all. Us older folk know better. What goes around will eventually come back around,” Daruk says wisely, winking Mipha’s way before making his own leap.

Revali rushes ahead, flapping his wings to reach the high perch of the fenced platform beside the left wing’s entry. It takes some surveying, but a conclusion of having everyone jump on a tilt would allow for everyone to grab onto the fencing and climb up. It’s rough and clumsy, but eventually everyone climbs up the fencing and makes the jump over.

Daruk continues to walk down the slope with Urbosa while Revali glides to the chest on the other side of the room. Mipha, holds Link back though and points at Daruk. Then she holds out her fists, emphasizing the movement. The next sign she uses is the sign for ‘friend’, taking her first and middle finger on either hand and clasping them to then unclasp them to switch the hand that was on top.

Strong friend.

Smiling, Link repeats the two signs with a nod. Yeah. That’s their strong friend.

Then Link points at Urbosa, motioning the sign for ‘sparks’, making his fingers dance by tapping his middle fingers to his thumbs while waving his hands back and forth. Mipha giggles, but adds the sign for danger: putting her left around out to then block with her right which she thumbs towards herself.

Spark risk.

“Ahem, if you two would remember, we are here on important business!” Revali calls, his bow aimed at the Malice to the left of the room, but his eyes narrowed Mipha and Link’s way. Link rolls his eyes, but glides over to the platform Revali’s at to get a better look. It seems that the Malice is all the blocks their access to this next pedestal.

They continue through the left wing, then back track once it’s clear they can’t go any further. The Beast gets tilted back to its usual position, and Revali dips back out the window to activate another pedestal. Everyone else uses the railed platform nearby to jump back to the tail-end of the Beast.

 “So the real question, then. Where’s this gonna go down?” Daruk says, eyes drifting around the different directions of the Divine Beast.

Link frowns, eyes back on the air draft behind them.

Urbosa notices where Link’s eyes are and she saunters over to the breeze and looks up.

“Nah…” Daruk says, looking pained. “Not after all this…”

“We’ll have to hand off the paraglider to get the three of us up there…” Urbosa muses and sure enough, when Revali comes back their fears are confirmed.

“This isn’t right,” Daruk muses as he and Link watch Revali help both the girls up by bringing the paraglider back down the draft.

Link pats Daruk’s arm, knowing how bad it feels. Link doesn’t want to leave him here either. They’ll miss their shield.

“Hey,” Daruk gets Link’s attention before Link can go to the air draft, “Keep them safe out there, kay, brother? All of you. I couldn’t stand it if something happened because I couldn’t be there…”

Slowly, Link folds, nodding. He comes back to Daruk, hugging him around his center as hard as he can manage. When Link pulls back, he pats his fist against Daruk’s stomach. A determined look on his face.

Daruk smiles broadly and doesn’t stop as Link walks away and drifts on up to the roof. Instead he just shakes his head, a gentle laugh bursting from him unwillingly. That little Hylian always seems to bring the best out of Daruk’s faith.

Mipha and Urbosa are inspecting the structure of the roof when Revali and Link meet up with them. This Beast, so different from the rest, offers a large space to work in with even floors for their final fight. Air blows from more drafts built into the floor.

While the girls’ are distracted, Revali nudges Link’s arm. Secretively, he pulls out a Giant Ancient Core from his storage. “Found this in a chest out front,” Revali motions towards the head of the Beast, “Think it’ll be the cherry on top for Mipha then?”

Link smiles wide, nodding.

Revali nods as well, stowing the piece out of sight with a glance back at the other Champions. “I think so too. Now we just have to live long enough for that…” His eyes glaze over then as they dart around the structure of the pillars and grown over tiles. It only lasts for a moment before Revali snaps out of it, “Right. Well. It’s a Windblight. Let’s make sure we have bows. Bomb arrows plenty. Maybe even eat up on some Mighty-“ Link pulls Revali down by the neck, hugging the Rito close. “Food…”

“I’ll keep you safe…” Link promises, unwilling to let go.

Resigned to being held, Revali relaxes and winds his wings around Link’s back. “No, I’ll be keeping you safe.”

Link chuckles, rubbing his face into the soft down on Revali’s neck, “It isn’t a competition, Revali.”

“You want to bet?”

“Revali…”

“I’ll be the best protector you’ve ever seen.”

“I don’t need-“

Revali stiffens, the words already out of his beak before he can stop himself, “Well, sorry, but you weren’t yesterday. How can you be so sure?”

Link pulls back then, hurt in his eyes. Revali cringes.

“I didn’t mean-“ he starts, but Link cuts him off.

“I know. Just. Don’t. Okay? We need to focus.”

“We need to do a lot of things…” Revali adds, eyes trailing worriedly.

Urbosa shifts her weight as her and Mipha watch the other two Champions from afar.

“So we’re agreed?” Mipha asks again, annoying Urbosa just a tad. They’ve been over this.

“Only use my Fury in a last ditch effort. I know. I, too, would like my hands to stay in working order.”

Mipha raises her brow Urbosa’s way, but Urbosa doesn’t feel like arguing right now. They can argue over exactly when Urbosa can and cannot do certain activities until after this battle is won. Preferably after the war is won too, but Urbosa knows that is still some time coming.

“I still am not too confident in my healing magic… Please take this seriously, Urbosa.”

“I am,” Urbosa acknowledges, her eyes running back to Mipha, “And I promise to fight to the best of my abilities. No one is dying here because I held back.”

Mipha lets out a deep breath, looking ready to say more concerned medical nonsense, but Link and Revali are already walking into earshot. Urbosa greets them a bit eagerly, already pulling out her sword.

“Ready to fight?” Urbosa asks, holding up her blade.

Revali smiles, though he puts a wing on her sword. “Yes, though I’m afraid swords may be a bit useless here. Archery is all we will be able to use against this foe. At least, when we can’t ground it. And trust me, grounding it…” Revali trails off, his eyes glazing over again. He snaps out of it when Urbosa jerks the blade under his wing to sheathe it.

“Right. Bows it is then.”

A battle strategy is set up. Link and Revali are to take opposite wings to surround the Blight, while Mipha and Urbosa are to stay back by the entry air draft. There they will fire and wait until the Blight is grounded. It all sounds very orderly and Urbosa wonders at how simple it all sounds. Just shoot the thing and let it fall. Slash it. Rinse. Repeat.

Daruk, hanging out on the tail feathers, looks up when he hears the Scourge’s wail. The sky above them goes gaseous purple. He hopes they keep it safe and smart.

Mipha has to admit, watching Revali and Link move in the air is a bit hypnotizing. Having spent so much time flying together, they work in beautiful swoops and dives. Swerving this way and that. And admittedly, it’s all a means to the successful ending, but in the moment it is beautiful. The ease. The effortless twirl to it. Had this really been the perfected technique honed by chasing dragons? Mipha could see how some legends were made to be so believable in the first place.

When the Windblight falls, Urbosa charges, dropping her bow. Mipha runs with her as the four Champions pounce on the Blight. Blades jut into the Malice-coated body, spraying the goo everywhere. Mipha can feel the sting of it on her freshly healed scales. It doesn’t matter.

The thing gets up in a jerky movement. Urbosa falls back, and Mipha is sent kneeling in front of her. Link and Revali are quick to return to the air. Mipha offers a hand to Urbosa and soon they’re both tugging each other back to their first position.

Then the dance starts again.

It’s going well. That makes Revali uneasy. Sure, there’s four of them here now. It isn’t just him, winging it as he goes and loses terribly. The anxiety still clings to him anyway. Remembering how you died will do that. Remind you that you can die. It was right here where he was shoot down, without a prayer of ever making it out again. If he hadn’t fallen off the side…

Link accidentally lines up with Revali’s aim and Revali waits. He’ll be as patient as it takes. He can’t let this scene end in tragedy once again. Link rises again even higher and Revali lets the arrow loose. It is a close miss for a bullseye, but Revali will be content at seeing it lodge just under. Where several other ends have already lodged.

It only takes a couple more shots, of which Revali can’t be certain which was the killing blow. The killing blow could have been Urbosa’s last vengeful stab for all Revali knew. She was right on it when it fell, blowing into a cloud of smog. Revali laughs in relief and happiness as he watches the smog briefly cling to her windswept hair before disappearing completely.

That’s it. Vah Medoh is his again.

Urbosa smiles up at Link and Revali as they both slowly glide down beside her. If Mipha could frame this moment, she would. Either way, she approaches, a broad smile on her face too.

Urbosa gets up quickly, sheathing her sword and pulling anyone within arm’s reach to her. There’s relieved laughter all around.

“Ah, shoot, let’s go tell Daruk. Mipha come with me. Let’s let the boys have their moment,” Urbosa cheers, sending a mischievous look over at said boys while she drags Mipha away. Mipha looks back apologetically at Link before Urbosa tugs her along, helping her down through the air draft with a little careful angling.

“A moment, huh. Urbosa would be one to know,” Revali says, trying to feign some disbelief. Link couldn’t care if he tried. He falls happily against Revali, pecking the Rito on his cheek and beak. “I know we were fearless and magnificent. The prime specimens of our respective kinds… but I’m glad that’s over. Let’s go home, Link. I could sleep for another 100 years after that experience.”  

Link nods happily into the crook of Revali’s neck, only pulling out of the warmth to get his Sheikah Slate out and ready for the Main Control Unit.

Revali smiles and walks with Link over to the Unit. Smiles as they jump down to meet the others and smiles as they all teleport to the safety of Rito Village.

“I’ll go report to the village elder.”

“We’ll have something warm for you when you come back,” Mipha assures him, already pulling out old leftovers and ingrediants for new dishes. The cooking pot is already getting pulled out as they speak.

Link accompanies him as Daruk, Mipha, and Urbosa set about getting comfortable by the Akh Va’Quot Shrine. As they walk away, Link listens happily as he hears Daruk’s boisterous voice celebrating all their accomplishments. How far they’ve all come. It feels good to feel that kind of pride radiating off of someone like him.

It really makes Link feel like it’s all coming together for them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only feel good now. No pain... 
> 
> Hope you guys like the chapter! I'll see ya next week <3


	39. Tabantha

_Zelda’s quiet voice calls to him…_

_“Link…”_

_Everywhere is pitch black. Link looks around for the voice._

_“Link… Link. I have witnessed your journey. You have overcame every challenge laid before you. Ruta. Rudania. Medoh. Naboris. All of the Divine Beasts are now free. With the strength you have attained, I am certain you can unlock the powerful force hidden within._

_“Go to the Shrine of Resurrection and return the Sheikah Slate to its terminal.”_

_A horseshoe shaped charm dangles down to Link’s eye level. Then a piercing wolf howl echoes through the darkness._

“Whoa there!”

Link is sitting up straight, breathing in and out heavily. He tries to catch his breath as fast as he can, a panic racing through his veins. It’s still dark outside. He’s still in the hammock at Revali’s place. Maybe they haven’t left yet for Naboris. Maybe they still haven’t-

“Link? Do you need out of the hammock?” A calm, tired sounding voice asks him. Link looks down in confusion, seeing a very ruffled and disgruntled Rito there. Revali huffs, obviously displeased.

“Out? Do you need space? If you’re fine then please come back down here. I was quite comfortable…” Revali grumbles near the end, rubbing his beak against the pillow where Link’s head had just been resting.

Link reaches behind and runs his hand down the length of Revali’s cheek and neck, part in wonder and part still remembering reality. His hand shakes less and less as it travels through the feathers.

Revali tuts, though seemingly pleased, and he motions for Link to fall back into his wings. Carefully, Link follows, making a good attempt to at least not lay directly onto any of Revali’s delicate wing bones. “Silly cucoo bird…” Revali mumbles, threading his beak through some of Link’s hair and then unthreading it to rest his head comfortably on top of Link’s.

His head clearing, Link’s face scrunches up as he thinks over his dream.

“Revali?” he asks quietly. When Revali hums back, Link continues, “I think… Zelda just talked to me. In my dream…”

“Really?” Revali moves his head so that his beak points upwards.

“Yeah… She… She’s been watching us. Saw us take back the Divine Beasts… She wants us to go back to the Shrine of Resurrection and put the Sheikah Slate back in its place there.”

Revali frowns, “That’s odd. I’m sure it must have been… Well whatever her reason, it should be done soon then… Ugh, it’s too early to be considering our next steps. Doesn’t the Princess have any understanding of time…”

“She’s been awake for 100 years keeping Ganon at bay…”

Revali groans, nodding, “You may have me there.”

“I may, huh?” Link leans back up to give Revali a devilish smile.

Disconcerted, Revali eyes him suspiciously. “Don’t get used to it. Get back down here.”

With a breathy laugh, Link settles back down against Revali. Ready to go back to sleep. Revali settles around Link, comfortable feathers circling around the Hylian. The Rito’s heartbeat is regular and solid. Link feels it as Revali falls back into his dreams. His heartbeat settles, and his breath evens out. Leaving Link alone with his thoughts.

Link raises his hands tentatively above his head to look at them. _–unlock the powerful force hidden within…_ A powerful force in him? Link flips his hands back and forth. He’s strong. Stronger than most they say. He’s quick. And spiritually-connected. What more power could he have? Is it something like the other Champions? Is it something like what Zelda is doing now?

Link lowers his hands.

The legend tells of a knight who will one day use his darkness-sealing sword to save the land. He needs his sword. The Goddess had told him where he can find his sword. Or where he had found it once before. _Please return from once you’ve came. Your Master Sword is ready for you…_

_Link cried in the middle of the road, foreign dusty rock under his soft little feet. “Okay, okay, but we have to get back to the training camp soon.”_

_When his father found him, snotty from just sneezing, he had knelt down to him. One of his hands came back to push his helmet up and revealed his relief. His face was gentle and caring, reminding Link vaguely of that of the Great ____._

The Great Something… Something with a human face?

These are all things Link has thought about, on and off, since Faron. There’s been so much though… Now that they’re this far, is this their next step? But Zelda… Will he have to give up the Sheikah Slate entirely to get this new power? Is that what she wants? Link isn’t sure he’s ready to do something like that… He isn’t ready for any of this to end.

It hits him hard and fast like a punch to the gut. He isn’t ready to be the hero that seals the darkness. No matter what Zelda says. He’s barely progressed at all yet as a warrior. He can feel it in his bones.

He still has to get his sword and he still has training to do.

There are still things he doesn’t remember. About himself. About her…

Link’s thoughts twist and fade into each other. The morning is just dawning when his thoughts rope back around to his dream. There was more to it than just Zelda. Link’s fingers dance along the beads of his necklace. Ilia. An old friend of his. He traces the lines of the horseshoe charm at the end.

He had been so upset at the time, not wanting anything to do with seeing the plains where their old homes and ranches should have been. The little community store, postal service, and mayoral office three in one. The herds of finely breed horses that must have dwindled, though they now run free range all over Hyrule…

Link isn’t sure if he wants anything to do with the Faron Grasslands.

Outside, it’s barely sunrise, but Link can’t take it anymore. Guilty, Link looks over at Revali, snoozing peacefully against him. Link takes his hand off Ilia’s charm and smooths out a couple of feathers that had puffed out over the night. One comes loose as Link tries to sort it out, falling out when Link pulls his hand away.

Carefully, Link arranges himself to roll out of the hammock, rocking it to minimal effect. He gives a glance around, gathering his Snowquill jacket and boots. He grabs Revali’s comb from his desk when he’s dressed, and sets about sorting out his hair in the mirror. As he braids his sides, Link’s eye catches on the loose feather.

Link snaps up the feather and works it into a braid while he admires Revali. Then his gaze lands on Revali’s Great Eagle Bow. It’s huge and heavy and Revali handles it like it’s made of air. Which is kind of hot.

Link isn’t thinking about that though. Not now. Now is time for breakfast and Link dips out of Revali’s hut, his ears maybe the slightest red tint.

The air drafts that surround Rito Village lift Link beyond high enough. Slowly, he angles himself so that he lands gracefully onto the wooden path. Someone gives him a respectful nod as they pass him by, though they take a double take afterwards. Most likely surprised by seeing the Hylian Champion.

Link retraces their steps from last night, finding the quarter that they had used for cooking and celebrating. Quietly he takes out his leftovers and chucks them into the pot to warm up. It’s only when there’s a small fire lit under and the food is almost ready that Mipha comes knocking on the wood of the quarter’s entry.

“And what’s for breakfast for today?” she asks, her voice just still slightly scratchy from just waking up.

Link smiles up at her and signs, “Come and find out.”

Mipha smiles back and walks over, sitting down right next to him by the fire. Her Snowquill is fluffed up as much as it can be. She rubs her gloved hands together as she leans in close to the fire.

“An old fish dish?”

Link nods. Then he offers her some while he spoons out some for his own bowl. Mipha smiles and goes to grab her own from the table nearby before letting him dish out her half.

The food hot, Mipha spoons up a chunk for it to cool in the air. Casually, she clears her voice and asks, “Did you sleep well last night? I tried the hammocks, but it just… Isn’t for me I guess.”

Link pauses mid bite. Well. He shrugs and sets his bowl down to sign, “I slept fine,” before picking his bowl back up to stuff his face again.

Mipha nods at that, happy. Link tries to ignore the feeling he has in his gut. He’ll have to talk about this eventually. His friends will understand if he still has other things he has to do. Link shovels his breakfast in his mouth, thinking about what he wants to say. How he’ll say it.

In contrast, Mipha eats her fish slowly, letting it cool on her spoon for almost each bite.

When Link finishes, he scraps his bowl to buy himself more time. Maybe if he starts out with something else… Something easy? What’s easy… Link sets his bowl down and turns his body towards Mipha. Attentive, Mipha’s eyes dart to his own before she has to look down to find her spoon again. Slowly, she eats while Link watches her.

After a couple of moments spent, Link forces himself to sign, “Can we talk?”

Mipha’s brow raises, but she makes encouraging gestures for Link to start.

Link’s mouth thins as he smushes his lips together. Yeah. So. Here he goes.

“You know about my sword. Right? The darkness sealing sword,” Link signs, stumbling when he doesn’t really agree with how he’s saying something, but then pushing himself to just put it out there already. In any case, Mipha nods her agreement. Right. Sword. Good.

“I remembered a lot in… the woods,” Link takes a moment’s hesitation and then uses the sign for what he remembers the woods to be called. It’s Faron Woods, but does Mipha know that?

Her eyes spark in recognition and she points to his hands while she speaks, “Your toponymic name.”

Link pauses, making a largely confused face.

Mipha looks back to him in equal parts confusion before she laughs and tries to brush it off. “It’s where you’re from. As you were saying. You want to talk about what you remembered in Faron Woods?”

Right. Back on track. Link continues to sign, “Yeah. One of them was a conversation I had with the Goddess. Telling me where to get my sword.”

Mipha nods, remembering their early morning conversation on these memories.

“I… have some ideas of what to ask for when I go looking for that place. I think it’s where I need to go to next. I need to find a path leading into a heavily forested area. Somewhere near an old training camp.”

Mipha frowns. “Link, that could be just about anywhere in Hyrule…”

Maybe true, Link thinks on what it looks like, and then disagrees. It was a place not like anywhere else. “It’s a special place,” Link reasons, “I’ll know it when I see it.”

“I trust you will,” Mipha says reassuringly.

Her eyes stray past Link’s head as she catches sight of Daruk walking up the wooden path. “Good morning, Daruk,” she calls out to him. Daruk smiles at them and ambles in. Seeing the cooking pot inactive, but still burning, Daruk rustles through his things before pulling out a meager Rock Steak to fry up.

“Morning, folks. What’s the hot gossip this time of day?”

Mipha chuckles, then answers, “We were just talking about some loose ends we still need to tie up. Link is thinking about searching for his sword from the legend.”

“Right, the Master Sword. I’ve heard talk about that. No one seems to know where it is though,” Daruk says thoughtfully as he sits down beside Link. “Don’t have any idea where to look, do you?”

Link’s hand wavers uncertainly, before he speaks, “I remember some things that could help,” He shrugs, then turns to Mipha, “Should we take the Giant Ancient Core to the Director’s today?”

Mipha’s eyes light up. “Right! We should definitely do that today. Then perhaps…” Mipha’s face clouds over, “Then we should probably go our separate ways for the time being. We still all need to find our shrines to control our Divine Beasts…”

Daruk leans forward, looking upset, “Now listen, after everything we’ve been through, do you really think-“

A loud laughter catches all their attentions mid-conversation, and they turn to see Urbosa walking with Revali up the stairs.

Daruk calls out to them, “Hey, come get an ear of this! We’re debating what to do next. Do you two think we should split up to find our Divine Beast’s shrines?”

Urbosa flings herself down by Daruk’s side, leaving the last spot by Mipha for Revali to sit down in. The two look unhappily into the pot to see the Rock Steak slow cooking. Urbosa is the first to answer.

“Well what else are we supposed to do? We have a duty and our differing skillsets make it hard to help each other in the best of times. Why not split?”

Revali then chirps in, “Wait, wait. Link, what about your dream?”

“His dream?” Mipha asks, looking back to Link then to Revali.

“Right, you should have seen it,” Revali starts like he’s rallying to tell some great story. Link cringes. “We’re both sleeping soundly. It’s the middle of the night. Then all of a sudden, Link sits up with a yell so loud I’m surprised you didn’t hear it from up in the inn. That is to say, it was rather loud. Then he tells me that he had heard from Zelda. And she says that since we’ve taken back control of the Divine Beasts, we need to take the Sheikah Slate back to the Shrine of Resurrection. It’s the next step, so to speak.”

Daruk and Mipha look to Link then back to Revali.

Daruk is the one to ask, “And why would we need to do that?”

Revali shrugs in a flurry of feathers, and motions to the pot. “Isn’t your rock burning?”

“Damn it!” Daruk shuffles over the pot, trying to save what is left of his steak.

While there is chaos over the cooking pot, Mipha discreetly leans Link’s way, “You would rather find your sword though, wouldn’t you.” Link nods empathetically, garnering Mipha’s sympathy.

“If Zelda says that is what we should do, then hasn’t she done enough to gain our trust?” Urbosa asks the group at large, looking to each face.

“So we head to the Shrine of Resurrection?” Revali asks.

Mipha speaks up, “But what about Link’s sword?”

“The Master Sword is important…” Daruk reasons, scrapping the burnt rock off the pot, “Princess Zelda seems to have tapped into some strange power… She talks to us… Does she know of our progress?” Link nods in affirmation to Daruk’s contentment. “Then she knows we still have the Master Sword to get to. She knows of our struggles with the Divine Beasts. We shouldn’t jump to thinking that this is any way the final step before the battle with Ganon.

“So if Zelda says it’s what we should do, then I agree. Let’s go to the Shrine of Resurrection.”

Frowning, Mipha searches for Link’s reaction, “…Link?”

Taking a deep breath, Link has to reason: Daruk makes a fair point. They have to trust Zelda here.

“Let’s detour first to the Hateno Techlab, though,” Revali suggests, his food items spread out and waiting for Daruk to be finished with the pot. “We’ll take the new Messenger part to the Director. Then we can go to the Great Plateau.”

All things decided, the Champions continue with their breakfast. Meanwhile, Link looks around, uncertain. What’s ahead of them couldn’t be that bad… At least they’ll be together.

Before they teleport, Revali leans it close to Link’s ear to whisper, “You may not know this, but one does not wear another’s feather without it being offered. I’ll let it slide. Just know there is a stigma of sorts. You’re giving strangers the wrong impression.”

Stunned, Link’s eyes shoot up to Revali’s right as Revali presses the button for them to teleport over to the Techlab.

They drop off the Giant Ancient Core with Purah. As they leave, they try to explain that they need the Sheikah Slate still. It’s a dragging and annoying moment. It takes a fair bit of begging, but eventually she just shrugs and lets them go. Though a quip about youth these days is fast on her tongue as they teleport away again.

As they all travel directly to the Shrine of Resurrection, just the scent of the place sends a wave of nostalgia through them. If Link didn’t know better, he’d say the King would be waiting for them. Just outside and down the hill slope. Baking apples and ready to talk pleasantly about the area around them…

Instead of going outside, though, they turn around back to the resurrection rooms. Everyone follows him solemnly as they progress and they immediately huddle around the terminal in the room Link had been resting in.

Link takes a cursory look around, noting the puff of dancing leaves over his resurrection bed. Oh, that’s kind of cute. Hiding in his bed… Focus. For Zelda.

He lines himself up in front of the terminal. Slowly, he takes the Sheikah Slate out and slots it in. A mechanical voice rings out, “Sheikah Slate and Champion verification complete. Activating the Divine Beast Tamer’s Trial.”

“Divine Beast Tamer…” Revali murmurs, to the agreed awe of the group.

The pedestal glows a burst of blue and then the voice rings out again, “Associated locations have been marked on the map.”

The terminal then rotates and pops the Sheikah Slate up on its side, ready to be taken out. Link suppresses an exhale of relief. Trust Zelda.

In a line of bright streams of blue energy, stands drip into existence on the right side of the room. Hovering over each stand is a strange sort of trident, though much too short to really deserve the name.

“Take hold of the provided weapon to start the trial,” the voice rings.

Link looks back to the other Champions uncertainly before he walks forward and grabs his weapon. The others follow behind him, making a grab for their own personally sized piece. The weapon pulls at their core immediately, and everyone falls to their knees as the pain overcomes them. As fast as it starts, it ends. The red, pulsing drain on them recedes. Carefully, Link raises his head and finds the energy to do so. He feels… fragile. But he has energy to continue. He looks to the other Champions to see them also shakily checking back on him and each other. They’re okay.

“I am Maz Koshia. I now address the ones who wish to tame the Divine Beasts… To undertake this task requires unwavering dedication.

“That weapon defeats foes in one hit. However, the reverse is also true, as its wielder will also fall with a single strike. You can only use this weapon twice within a set period of time… only when it is glowing. When enough time passes, the weapon will regain its sheen along with its power.

“At the four marked locations within The Great Plateau… defeat all monsters to prove your power. If you are not up to the challenge, leave this plateau. The weapon will return here, and the trial will end.”

The voice thins out to nothing, leaving the Champions to their trial.

Link looks at his weapon with interest. The One-Hit Obliterator.

Down the line, Link sees each Champion taking in the terms and conditions. Mipha is the first to meet his eyes and Link realizes with finality how close they are all to certain death. The fear in her eyes speaks volumes. Link slots his weapon back behind him and walks over to her. He easily loops his arms over her shoulder, hugging her tightly.

They’re all counting on her now more than ever.

“This is no different than any other challenge,” Revali says with a stiff tone to his voice. He runs his wing over Link’s back and then Mipha’s, a reassuring presence for them both. “We just have to be strategic.”

“Right,” Urbosa says, coming in close to the huddled youths, “We may not have access to our other weapons, but we still have access to our shields and bows. Thanks to the Rito, we are well stocked in arrows, including bombs.”

“We’ll have to be patient,” Daruk reasons, “But this isn’t anything we can’t handle. A little scouting. A little foul play. They’re monsters, they don’t deserve the dignity of a fair fight. We can have this easily.”

With Daruk’s reassuring words in mind, the Champions spend the next hour taking stock of their bows and armor. Pieces of stealth armor are spread around. Link gives Daruk his scarf, Urbosa takes up Revali’s scarf, Mipha takes Link’s shirt, and Revali ends up with Link’s Sheikah pants. When questioned, Link reassures them this is the best distribution. Out of all in the group, he manages the easiest with these stealth missions. With or without the armor.

The first location they decide to start with is the one closest by: the Forest of Spirits. Their shields and bows all set up for use, the Champions pool out of the Shrine of Resurrection. The ache of their fragility making them tense even after attempts are made to lighten the mood.  

Link and Mipha are at the end of the pack, and Link puts his hand on Mipha’s shoulder. Stopping her right at the entrance.

“Yes, Link?”

Link pauses, finding the right thing to say, before he starts motioning with his hands, “I know this is going to be hard on you. There’s no way-“

Mipha puts her hands on Link’s, meeting his eyes. Her voice is calm, if not a little steely, “I’ll be fine. And I’ll make sure we are all okay at the end of this. You don’t need to worry.”

Link frowns and shakes her hands off of his. “I’m not worried!” he signs, “I believe in you, fish lips! When you want to talk… Please talk to me. About how it feels. The death. The stress… It’s no good. Don’t put the whole load on yourself…”

She smiles then, an almost watery smile. Mipha wraps her arms around Link’s shoulders and squeeze. “Of course.” After a pause, she also adds, “Please don’t use the signs for fish and lips as my name in sign in the future. It isn’t very flattering.”

Link laughs, nodding his head. After he calms, he rolls his head to mush it against the side of her head. “Love you, Mipha,” he says kindly, squeezing her around her shoulders.

“Catch up, will you two?” Revali calls down from farther down the sloped hill. Daruk and Urbosa are further down, chatting between themselves, though also giving patient glances to the two at the top of the hill.

Feeling lighter, Mipha squeezes Link’s arm. “I love you too.”

Mipha and Link trot down the rest of the hill, Mipha not slowing down until she’s in between Urbosa and Daruk. Link falls in stride behind them with Revali by his side.

Revali gives him a speculative glance, but does not make any comment. Instead he wraps his wing around the length of Link’s forearm.

The chatter at the front of the group calms as they make it further and further into the forest. Daruk stops talking entirely, not trusting his voice not to carry. As planned, Mipha, Link, and Revali are the first to scope out the monster camp. Each take to a different direction, skirting the edges to see what there is here.

Revali takes to the northern side, completely out of sight of Mipha. Link is the only one with visual on the other two scouters as he looks over the surroundings of the large sawed tree. Mipha, virtually by herself to the south, walks cautiously around the monsters around the fallen log.

There isn’t much anyone can do when she is randomly hit by a swarm of Keese. Her shriek alerts the monsters of their position, but it is already too late. All it takes is one hit. Link, on the other side of the huge log separating them, sees their attack on her. He cries out as he sees her dead body be swooped down on by the remaining Keese.

As he runs, his hand outstretched, Link watches in increasing horror as a blue light pulls up on segments of Mipha’s body. He doesn’t even make it to her side when his own hands and body take on the blue pull.

All of the remaining Champions lose their vision at the same time, their bodies slumping to the ground where they stand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to the 200,000 word special! Hope it was super exciting and not at all cliff-hangery. I swear I wanted to not do that, but I couldn't edit it to end right for this chapter so... and it's getting kinda late. Next week we'll find out what happens I guess! :3 
> 
> Thanks for reading and supporting this fic for so long. It's Actually such a long story, so kudos to you for reading. Your literature teacher would be proud.  
> I'll be back next Tuesday with another update. Until then! <3 <3 <3


	40. The Great Plateau

Mipha is the first to reappear on the outer edge of the monster camp, still laying in the position she had fallen into when she’d died. Link appears next to her, his hand outstretched over her ankle. The rest fall into a half circle around them.

Link is the first to raise his head, looking rapidly over the other prone Champions. Their breathing comes evenly and soon their heads rise to meet his panicked glance.

“What… happened?” Revali asks tentatively, watching as Link gets up to kneel over Mipha.

White noise fills Link’s ears, blocking out the others, as he gently lifts up Mipha’s head. Her breathing is also even and Link lets himself breathe too. Her eyes open only moments later, her face stuffed against the shirt Link’s wearing. Link laughs as he cradles Mipha to him.

When she pushes back, she at least looks aggrieved by what’s happened. Mipha speaks slowly, looking into Link’s pained face, “I’m so sorry. I… The _Keese…_ Am I not dead? Or have I doomed us-“

Link shakes his head, a wet smile on his face.

“What happened exactly?” Urbosa asks, also crouching by Mipha. Revali and Daruk are quick to listen in close. Link still looks lost in his relief, his ears filled with static.

“I… I wasn’t careful enough. A colony of Keese saw me… Oh, that’s rather-“ Mipha buries her face in her hands then, feeling the hit rise there. “I was hit.”

Urbosa raises a hand to rub gently along Mipha’s shoulders.

Daruk’s voice is low as he settles down on the ground with them, “So you died. Yet we’re all here now? Do you guess this trial…” Daruk laughs then, gently, “They wouldn’t want to actually kill their Champions. Isn’t that a relief?”

Revali feels a wave go through him and he relaxes completely as he watches Link ignore them in favor of marveling over Mipha. They wouldn’t die today. At least. Not on this plateau.

“Hey,” he says gently, nudging Link. The other three talk happily between themselves, and Mipha sits up fully as the discussion gets more intense. It takes him a moment, but Link’s almost empty gaze demists and he pulls his attention Revali’s way.

“Hey,” Link mouths back, not ready to put his voice fully into it.

“Bit messed up that the monk running this simulation didn’t mention that it was merely a simulation. Wouldn’t you say?”

Link laughs softly and leans into Revali heavily. Revali is quick to wrap his wing protectively around Link, resting his head on top of Link’s so that he is as close as possible.

Out of the other three, Urbosa is the most animated. Her hands are moving surely in assertive ways, insisting some point. Daruk, however, only looks amused. Not really taking her seriously. Mipha, too, seems to be a bit doubtful.

“-know, but listen. We have as many tries as we need. Theoretically, we could go in, kill as many as we can, and come back again to kill the rest! It could take some time, but it will anyway-“

“O’sea, don’t you think that would be cheating the system?”

“Shouldn’t we take _advantage_ of the system’s flaws? If they didn’t want them to be taken advantage of, they wouldn’t have implemented them in the first place.”

Daruk raises a hand reassuringly, his face calmer than it was. “You are both correct. While we can be much bolder with this new information, let’s not waste our own time. As it shows, even when we are acting with the utmost care, we can still slip.”

“Let’s move together as one unit,” Revali suggests, a decibel louder as to be heard by the rest. They turn to him, considering his idea. “I had no idea Mipha had even taken a hit when it happened. If we move together, we will have a better chance of protecting each other when that kind of moment arises. It’s the only logical solution.”

There is more debating, but an understanding is reached before long. Together they move with bows drawn, Daruk heading the group and ready to put up a bubble at a moment’s notice. They start at the south end of the giant log, working cautiously through the Bokoblin there. Using the Obliterator only when something gets too close. Mipha is guilty of using it to swat the Keese away when they swoop down on them. Something not missed by Revali, who teases her endlessly.

It’s only when they approach the tree stump that they find an issue. Revali jumps to the air early, before either Urbosa or Link even have a chance to climb up halfway. Midair, Revali is shoot down by a Bokoblin with a lousy bow. Revali’s only regret as he sees the arrow coming is that he didn’t put up the challenge for the shot to be even half of skillful as some of his own. Urbosa watches in annoyance as Revali’s body falls to the ground.

Though Link is looking down at pity at his partner, Urbosa merely frowns Link’s way as they all fade away again.

When they reappear, Link walks cautiously to the pile of feathers at the center of the group.

“Ah!” Revali blurts out as he sits up in a rush, surprising Link, “That was my fault. I suppose I let myself get carried away.”

Mipha kneels down to Revali, speaking softly, “How do you feel?”

“I’m fine,” Revali brushes off, “Just a strike to my ego. Let’s get back in there.” Revali brushes himself with fake gusto as he gets up. He looks around at the others, looking the world of ready to go at the fight again.

Urbosa and Daruk lead the group again, already walking toward the forest. Mipha gives Revali a concerned look, but he brushes it off. To which she gives him an understanding smile and rushes off to Urbosa’s side.

Link elbows Revali as they take up the rear. They’re already pulling out their bows once more.

“Don’t worry about me, Link. I’m fine. Now that I’ve experienced it, don’t really see what all the fuss was about. You dying before. You really need to learn how to get back on your feet faster,” Revali chides Link, earning a disbelieving grin in return.

If they weren’t entering enemy territory, Link would fight him right there.

There’s an unpleasant surprise for them as the close into the tree stump again. The monsters they had once dispatched are back and the Champions are suddenly swarmed with monsters from the log as well as the monsters from around the base of the stump.

Daruk keeps up his bubble for as long as he can, everyone else shooting arrows through it to strike down the creatures closest. When an arrow too many strikes the bubble, Daruk caves, falling to a knee with the effort. Urbosa and Link take on the new shielding responsibility, blocking and parrying for the other three.

It becomes too much for the band of Champions as the Keese swoop back down on them. A Bokoblin from behind slams Revali in the back. Another is able to catch Urbosa by the arm. Meanwhile, a Keese swoops down into Link’s face as he stands on guard in front of Mipha. Mipha and Daruk don’t even have a chance to be hit before the group starts to dissolve into blue light.

When they reappear, Urbosa and Revali are already heading back to the forest before Daruk calls out, “Wait! If we keep throwing ourselves at the problem, we’ll never do it right. Come back. Let’s eat something, clear our heads a little bit. We can give it another go after we’ve recharged.”

Begrudgingly, Revali and Urbosa turn around. Link and Mipha are already getting out the wood and flint.

“This feels impossible,” Revali groans as he sits down next to Link. Mipha sighs in agreement as she sets the cooking pot down on the fire. “How are we supposed to clear the whole plateau if those monsters keep coming back? This feels like an endless loop…”

“We’re back at the start,” Urbosa says with a tinge of annoyance in her voice. In her hand she already has a Voltfruit from Gerudo. She quickly bites into it, juice squirting in a spray around the opening.

Mipha hums, “Maybe not… We know more now than we had at the start. That is something to work with.”

“But the outcome will still have to be the same!” Revali whines, “We still have to kill them all in one go without getting hit. One hit and we’re all the way back to where we started. Not even metaphorically speaking…”

“It is infuriating,” Daruk agrees solemnly, “But we have to see this as the trial and lesson that it is. The monks want no one but the best to operate their Divine Beasts. If we do not prove that we are worthy to them, how can we hope to defeat Ganon?”

“It’s just the unfairness of it all. We’ve done this all before!”

“Have we?” Mipha asks quietly, drawing everyone’s attention. She looks around in surprise before continuing her thought, “I just mean… Well… I haven’t gotten a single memory yet. From this trial. Not even a moment, which is rather unusual. Especially for something of this level of importance…”

Urbosa adds, “You’re right. I haven’t remembered any of this either. Normally by now we would have remembered something to help us through this kind of challenge. That is… if we had experienced it before. Has anyone remembered this..?” Urbosa looks around to her fellow Champions, each one just as perplexed as the last.

A frown etches itself on Daruk’s face the longer the silence stretches on. “Maybe there is something more to say from that alone. Let’s not concern ourselves with it though. We can think about our missteps after it’s all over.”

Urbosa nods in agreement, leading to a general feeling of ease spreading through everyone. They can think about what all they did wrong at a later time. After eating, the Champions head back out again: Daruk at the front. They go through the log, taking out Keese and Bokoblins with ease, now that they can predict their movements and patterns. Once through the log, Urbosa and Link take to the stump again. Revali holds himself down until they reach almost reach the top. Then he springs up to distract the Bokoblin waiting for them.

The surprise really hits the Bokoblins as they focus on Revali, unaware of Link and Urbosa who are basically on them from underfoot. They use their One-Hit Obliterators to great success, slicing through the monsters like butter. When the high ground is all cleared, they make sure to check back on Mipha and Daruk. A round of thumbs up are given all around.

From there, the rest of the area is an easy clear. Keeping to the tree stump, Revali uses the high ground to land some amazing shots. Really, Link just sits back and watches. He’s starting to enjoy this trial. Fighting endlessly with minimal consequences for bold positioning and bad decision making? If only every fight were like these ones.

_“Now remember! Keep your stance grounded and centered. Wide, but not too wide!”_

_Each of the in-training squires were given their own training bow and arrows to work with that day. Everyone was working hard to do their best and Link was feeling it. Archery was always something that frustrated him. He wasn’t good at it! Why do knights need to know archery anyway? Didn’t they use swords and shields all the time?_

_“You’re Link, right?”_

_Link looked up to see the instructor from earlier. He was a Hylian who claimed to travel to Rito Village the year before to learn from the masters. He had went on and on about respecting others’ cultures and how to be brave when learning new things. That you have to be humble. It was a lot for one lesson, at least for the other kids. Link guessed he shouldn’t think it was a lot for him. He was normally really good at everything._

_Everything but archery, he guessed, frustrated._

_Distracted by thinking about his troubles with shooting, Link accidentally ignored the instructor and aimed loosely at the target. His shot went wide and short, not going far but way too far to the left at the same time. Link felt embarrassed as the archery instructor laughed gently behind him._

_“It’s alright, no need to look so sad. Look, everyone is having trouble.”_

_It was true. Link took a quick look around and he could see he wasn’t the only one. Not that that made him feel better. If he was doing just as bad as the other kids, that meant he was doing super bad. The worst. Link really didn’t want to cry in front of the instructor, but he felt like he might._

_“Hey,” the instructor put a hand on Link’s shoulder, surprising him. Link looked up at the man for the first time since he started to talk to Link. “Would you like me to show you again? Your other instructors say you do well when you get to watch some.”_

_Were all of his instructors talking about him? Link felt like he could die. Still, he nodded silently, hoping maybe if the new instructor got to do what he wanted, he’d let Link alone._

_The instructor got down on his knees next to Link and held his hand out to take Link’s bow and an arrow from Link’s little quiver. As Link handed them over, he saw the other kids watching them._

_“Now, oh,” the instructor interrupted himself, fiddling with Link’s bow, “Your bows are a little different. Have to adjust accordingly,” he advised Link, showing how much force he had to pull back on Link’s bow versus his personal bow._

_Link watched patiently as the instructor pulled the arrow up and along the bow. Watched as he demonstrated how to hold it just right, making sure Link understood how to keep it level. It was really helpful, but also._

_The instructor was sort of distracting to look at, Link realized. He looked like the sort of man the older women in his village would fawn over. Saying this and that. If Link were a woman the instructor’s age, maybe he would fawn over him too. He was. Really nice to look at. And he had a nice voice. The instructor’s arrow hits the bullseye with a thunk._

_“Just like that, okay? Want to give it another go?”_

_Link nodded numb, watching the instructor as he handed back Link’s bow and got back on his feet. Wow, he was tall. Really tall. And like an elder would say… Charming. Link felt his cheeks pink, knowing the other kids were watching him. Knowing they were jealous. Link went to pull the arrow out of the target and grabbed his failed one while he was at it._

_He’d have to figure this out. The instructors counted on him to be the best and learn by example. As Link took a second look at the archery instructor, the man gave Link a wink and a thumbs up. Link smiled uncertainly back._

_This next shot had to be it. It had to be._

The ground is shaking and Link snaps out of it while everyone hollers. Nearby, a shrine rises out of the ground. It looks different from most shrines though. It’s a little taller. Pointier. Link shares a perplexed glance with Urbosa and Revali before they take off towards the shrine. Revali and Link gliding and gaining a lead while Urbosa has to carefully climb down.

Mipha is right behind the boys as they reach the shrine. Link feels his Slate vibrate and he pulls it out. This is the Yowaka Ita Shrine.

“Do you think it will be a reward for clearing the monsters?” Revali asks hopefully. Link gives him an unsure grin as he nears the pedestal, going slow so that Urbosa and Daruk have a chance to catch up.  

While everyone gathers by the shrine, Link activates it and then they all head down the elevator. Unfortunately the monk’s voice rings out the introduction to a shrine trial, making Revali swear loudly. Link chuckles as Yowaka Ita introduces their trial: Soul Collecting.

With everyone there, though, it isn’t much of a challenge. Daruk is able to use his Protection and Revali just flies over the obstacles clearly meant to maim and/or kill any land-bound trial-goer. It’s an in and out job, rewarded by a new bow, some bomb arrows, and another Spirit Orb.

When they leave again, Link pulls out the Sheikah Slate to see where they’ll go to next. The day having some daylight to it, they decide to do the next closest area on over by the Eastern Abbey.

“Do you think we’ll have to go in the Abbey to find all of the monsters? I don’t fancy another run through that mess,” Revali grumbles as they walk over. Lizalfos already visible in the distance.

“Hopefully not,” Daruk says helpfully, taking stock of what they can see so far, “Lizalfos huh? Slippery demons. Stay close. Stay solid.”

The first encounter goes just as well as the first encounter in the forest. Barely two minutes into the fight and Urbosa is caught out by a Lizalfo’s tail swing. It becomes a tedious chore fast. Each strategy is different, but somewhere along the line someone always gets hurt.

It’s close to dusk when the last Lizalfo finally falls in the area. The Champions look up in relief when the Rohta Chigah Shrine rises up. Quizzically looking to the sky then to the shrine, it’s with a can-do attitude that the Champions confidently stride into the shrine.

The sound of metal grating on metal is the first thing they hear when they travel down to the trial. Spikes rise up and down repeatedly and a doubtful look gets passed around before they all walk right back out of the shrine.

“Best to save that for tomorrow,” Daruk says, tired to the bone already. There’s a groan of agreement and everyone heads back outside to make a camp for the night.

It’s a quiet evening. Everyone is tired, the weight of the One-Hit Obliterator weighing them down with its heaviness. Pulling them all down by their soul…

Mipha and Daruk are the first to crash, falling asleep on each other by the firelight. Beside them, Link and Revali lean on each other, taking comfort in their closeness. They watch the fire as it changes shapes, prodded by Urbosa who uses a long thin stick to shift it around.

“So,” she starts casually, “You two are an item I hear. Congratulations. I would say that I was surprised, but I wasn’t.”

Revali takes faux offense, “Are you saying we’re predictable?”

“The most predictable. You two would have gotten together ages ago if only the breeze blew just right. And trust me, there were days the rest of us wish it had done just that. Just to save ourselves from your tension.”

“Sorry to be such a burden on your daily lives,” Revali snips.

Urbosa rolls her eyes, but smiles anyway. “As you should be. It has been a burden not to just shove you into a deep ditch together. Leaving you there until it was all sorted out. You should be grateful the infinite amount of patience I’ve afforded you. Well,” Urbosa pauses, looking to Link, “Not you. You can have as much patience as you want.” Revali squawks at the unfairness.

Beside them, Mipha groans quietly, shifting to cozy up further into Daruk’s lap. Urbosa smirks and taps her mouth a couple times to reprimand Revali.

Groaning, Revali gets up, pulling Link up with him. “Fine,” Revali stage-whispers, “We’ll just go be a couple somewhere else then. Seeing how much of a nuisance we are here.”

“Not Link,” Urbosa says at normal volume, “Just you.” Indignant, Revali stomps off with the expectation that Link will follow. Link looks from Revali to Urbosa in amusement. “Try not to reset us all while you’re out, would you?” Urbosa asks him kindly.

A light blush, barely visible from the firelight, creeps over Link’s face and he nods quickly before chasing after Revali. He hasn’t gone far, just walking off back in the direction of the forest where all of the monsters had been killed anyway.

Revali is stopped on the stairs leading up to the Temple of Time, looking up at the sky. When Link reaches him, he looks up too, seeing the moon at first quarter above them.

“Do you think the monsters on the plateau would come back if we wait around for a Blood Moon?” Revali asks Link absently, still looking upwards. Link just huffs, shaking his head. Shyly, Link leans Revali’s way and wraps his arms around one wing in a vain attempt to be a little warmer.

Revali frowns, saying, “Has it only been a few days? It feels like a lifetime now that we’ve been together. Though I suppose that isn’t too far off in the grand scheme, is it.”

Link shrugs. It has felt like awhile, but that’s only because so much has happened. They’ve retaken two Divine Beasts in the course of a week as well as coming out to do… this Divine Beast tamer trial. Hopefully, to the ends of getting the Champions back in control. Leaving Link to… He doesn’t want to think about that.

They’re quiet, still watching the moon. That is, before a wind hits them, making Link shiver.

Concerned, Revali offers, “Should we go into the temple? Or perhaps back to camp. I really did just storm off for no reason… We should be getting our sleep…”

Link looks at the temple, somewhat tempted to go pray at an actual statue again. Just to talk. He doesn’t actually have the Spirit Orbs for anything else.

“To the temple?” Revali asks again, now stepping away and motioning up the stairs. Link nods, following Revali close behind. Once they get inside Link is able to relax, not feeling the chilling wind anymore. Still Link rubs his arms as he tries to warm up.

“Goose flesh?” Revali asks kindly. Link nods and Revali is quick to put his wing around him. “Just say the word. I have many skills you know, including creating a good lining of insulation. Link smiles faintly at that, though he’s still lost in his thoughts from earlier. Revali’s used to this and lets it go, just enjoying their time together.

They stumble further into the temple together, reaching the section where the large Goddess statue oversees them with her happy glow.

“The Goddess… I’m not sure that I was too firm a believer in my old life… Though my mother definitely was. She pounded the religion into my head. Often we sang religious songs in Her honor and prayed for Her blessing during our travels… I wonder now if She had listened to us. It would be a true honor if she had thought of us as her favorite choir… Though I would take a meager ‘exceptional’, since She is eternal. All knowing…”

Link smiles more and more, listening to Revali’s ramblings. This part of Revali, the rambling, half awkward but still confident side of him… Link really enjoys it. Always has. It’s always in the quiet hours though. Always when there’s few to no other people around. It feels private, like something he only shares with Link.

Link walks forward slowly, out from under Revali’s wing. He tries to stay quiet. Not wanting to disrupt the peace of the night. Revali watches as Link steps up to the Goddess statue, clasping his little pale hands just to talk with Her. He wonders what grand things Link could have to say to Her. What is it that the Hero of Lore speaks privately to the Goddess about? It must be something important, bigger than anything. Revali wants to ask, but maybe not yet. He isn’t sure he’s ready for the answer yet.

“You’re still watching over them, aren’t you?” Link asks quietly, solemnly.

Her voice is light, filled with wonder, “As you have asked me to. Time in and time again. I watch over them like they are of your own body. For they appear to be of your own soul.”

“What do you mean?”

“It matters not,” She teases, making Link feel indignant. It matters so! “There is so much love here, Link. Do not forget that. All is fine. Continue, my hero. For you are fair and brave. You have my blessing…”

Her voice fades from Link’s ears and he knows that is the end of the conversation for tonight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Sorry bout that cliff-hanger, but they're okay! We only accept resurrectable deaths here at AMSH not to worry :) 
> 
> Anyway, hope you liked the chapter!   
> See ya guys next Tuesday <3


	41. The Great Plateau

The Champions wake up the next day by the Rohta Chigah shrine. Revali sits up slowly, Link already up and cooking at the communal pot. He roles his shoulder and grimaces. The drain from the One-Hit Obliterator is still taking most of their life force away. If Revali didn’t know better, he’d say that he hadn’t slept at all last night.

With some help from each other, they’re able to egg each other up. They’ve got to keep moving so they head back to the Shrine trial: Stop to Start. Going back down to the sound of metal grinding metal, Revali is ready for his soul to leave his body already. The grinding sound echoes in his skull painfully. The shrine doesn’t prove to be any better after the first room of death either. In fact, it gets worse.

Stop to Start is an absolute death trap. Revali isn’t sure how many times they got reset at the beginning because one person stepped out of line, but he is thoroughly done with it all when it happens because Daruk couldn’t wait for Link to run through the worst of it, falling to a tragic death at the bottom of an endless chasm.

Tensions high, upon the very next reset, Link turns to everyone and holds up his hand angrily. Any time anyone dares to try to follow Link across the spiked floor, Link turns around with the meanest glare he can muster. Anyone meaning: anyone. Revali tries not to let it wound him.

“This doesn’t bode well,” Daruk mutters, rubbing his beard, “If the little man’s already on edge, today is just going to get worse and worse.” Revali, though still mad with Daruk, couldn’t help but agree.

Link is able to clear the shrine without them, but he has to take a deep breather while someone else takes up the Sheikah Slate. They all take a small break outside the shrine. Two areas down: two more to go.

“Is that Kass?” Revali asks bemused and Urbosa is quick to look up from the Slate.

Sure enough, as they walk together they soon crowd around the bard, whose back is turned to them. He seems lost in a melody until some sound alerts him of their presence. He is quick to turn then, and jumps a little when he seems them all so close.

“How unexpected! Travelers- No, it’s you lot,” Kass smiles then, recognizing some of their faces, “Long time no see. Urbosa correct? Mipha? Really the only person I haven’t met yet…” Kass’s eyes linger before trailing to Daruk, “Is you. My name is Kass. What would be yours?”

“Daruk of the Goron,” Daruk answers, crossing his arms.

“Daruk, pleasure to make your acquaintance,” Kass’s attention then turns to the other four, “The Plateau seems a bit dreary lately, doesn’t it? Strange but I suppose not the most unusual thing.”

Revali speaks up then, “Kass, don’t you travel to places you know songs about?”

“I do!” Kass answers, “I happen to know a song about a hero that travels to this plateau… It may seem odd, but I can’t shake the feeling that maybe we were destined to meet here for just that reason… Would you like to hear the song?”

“Yes, please,” Mipha says, leaning forward a little to make sure she is heard.

Kass smiles her way and then starts up his accordion.

“The flames crawl, the waters rise, the lightening strikes, the wind sighs. A beast beyond the divine four awaits a hero forevermore. Let not the sound leave horses riled. Breathe in the breath of the wild.”

Kass finishes his accordion accompaniment and lowers the instrument as he comments, “Curious, indeed. As it were, I perused my teacher’s old notes… and found that song there. Hmm, what sort of sound could alarm a horse so effectively? Kabam? Kapow? Rumble, rumble? Honestly, I have no clue.”

Arms still crossed, Daruk asks, “You travel a lot then to places your teacher wrote about?”

“It certainly helps to visit the locations that inspired the song. Yes, it helps open my eyes to inspiration. Those notes had other interesting songs too… I plan to visit those locations as well.”   

“Interesting…”

Kass just smiles Daruk’s way and starts pulling on his accordion absently.

Her eyes back on the Slate, Urbosa ushers everyone to follow her while she gives a parting loosely in Kass’s direction. Kass nods as they go, starting to sing the song about horses and beasts again.

“Odd fellow,” Daruk mutters.

“His teacher seemed to have important information on some of the shrines of Hyrule,” Revali explains, “We’ve ran into him before. Normally the shrines are hidden and the songs he knows have clues on how to unearth them.”

Struck, Daruk asks, “So who was this teacher of his?”

Revali shrugs and Mipha answers, “He has not told us. For all of his help, he has spoken very rarely of himself or others. Just of these songs and that his old teacher had passed away.”

“Well, I’ve also gathered that he has some sort of family,” Revali offers offhandedly, “Me and Link ran into him in Faron. He didn’t go into detail about it unfortunately.”

“Not surprising. He probably flies back to them all the time,” Urbosa says, still distracted by the Sheikah Slate. Revali frowns and looks Link’s way, sharing an unknowing look between them.

The next monster camp is another round of Lizaflos mixed with some Bokoblin, some even mounted on horses.

Link plays the battle too greedily on the first strike and gets ran over by a mount. Second time, he doesn’t let himself get stomped, but he stands too still too far away: an arrow finds its way to his shoulder. Nobody thinks too much of it, since he had just taken on the last shrine practically by himself.

It was the on the eleventh reset, of which most were due to Link’s recklessness, that the other Champions took pause. The camp itself wouldn’t actually be too hard if they could just find their momentum.

“Link…” Revali says slowly as they regain their physical forms. Link ignores him, determined to go at the camp again. Everyone but Mipha just stands back and watches him march ahead. Mipha is quick to look at everyone then back at Link, before she rushes to follow him.

“He’s off his rhythm,” Daruk mutters, perplexed.

Urbosa nods, watching as Link takes one risky move right after another. Protecting Mipha’s flanks only when they are in obvious danger, never preemptively. “The shrine earlier must have done a number on him. Revali, do you know something of this?”

Revali shrugs, eyes watching helplessly at the skirmish, “He’s always been a bit headstrong. Maybe he just needs a breather. Let me take him for a walk, maybe eat something.”

Urbosa adjusts the One-Hit Obliterator on her back as she speaks, “Get him back in his right head space. We can’t afford to keep wasting time. If he can’t do it right, we’ll just have to clear the camp without him.”

The three supervisors cringe as both Mipha and Link get stabbed through opposite of each other. 

After they regenerate, Mipha and Link are splayed on the ground in the shadow of the other Champions. Link coughs and rubs at his face as he looks up angrily at the ones towering over them. Urbosa kneels to Mipha’s side while Revali’s kneels beside Link.

“Let’s take a break, dove.” Link gets to his feet readily and starts walking with Revali. “Here, I’ve been saving some candied honey. You want some?”

Mipha watches them go through the gap between Daruk and Urbosa. Link turns to her and motions, “Treating me like a child,” with a pretty displeased face. Mipha frowns, but doesn’t say anything back since Link faces forward again soon after signing to her.

“Link seems a little burnt out,” Mipha says quietly to the agreement of Urbosa and Daruk. “Are we waiting for them to return?”

“Best we do that just in case,” Daruk answers. He sits down on the hill there and pulls out an already cooked Rock Roast. “You sisters want one?”

Meanwhile, Link sucks unhappily on a piece of candy. Every time they reset Link had gotten more and more upset with himself. He was better than this, but he’s so frustrated. Why was he the only one that could pull their weight all the time? Why was everything always up to him?

He was constantly putting himself in danger in order to make up for someone else’s poor form. Not to mention the shrine! My Goddess, how could he forget? In which, Daruk got him reset right when he had gotten to the ending. Not that it was that hard to get there anyway… Link couldn’t be mad at Daruk for that.

He couldn’t really be mad at any of them. He knows he’s just being testy.

Link looks over at Revali, who is looking off at the scenery around them, and at least Link can be grateful that all of this is just a buffer of time for him. He won’t have to leave Revali’s side for as long as they’re on this plateau. But after that…

Revali tries his best to ignore Link. He’s tried talking to the Hylian several times during the walk, getting ignored at the best of times. Outright treated like what he had to say was ignorant at the worst of times. Never before had Link been so outwardly… mean to him like this. At least.

Revali feels a tug at his stomach that he’d like to ignore. At least, this was the first time since their rebirth that Link had been so cruel with him. Maybe this wasn’t something too uncommon between them before it all went downhill…

The walk doesn’t do much for either of their moods and they end up returning to the camp more irritated than when they had left.

Daruk watches Link stare resolutely at the monster camp then looks to Revali. Who looks a bit hopeless and drifting.

“Maybe we should have gone ahead with the strike without them,” Urbosa grumbles quietly for just Daruk to hear. Daruk grunts back in agreement. All three of the waiting Champions get up to follow after the other two: already heading back into the fray.

It’ll take three more resets before they finally find victory.

Huffing and sweating, the Champions watch in relief as a shrine starts rising up from the ground. The Ruvo Korbah Shrine. Knowing the challenge before them must be grueling, they’re reluctant to go in. However, Link strides to the shrine not much after the moment they all took to appreciate it. Everyone else follows his pace.

The shrine is a Major Test of Strength. Which under normal circumstances would be concerning but…

Revali raises an eyebrow at his companions before walking straight up to the Guardian Scout. Each arm of the Scout holds a deadly weapon, except the one with the wide shield on it. Revali whips out his One-Hit Obliterator and slices clean through the machine. It breaks down without much ado, spurting out a couple of pieces of ancient technology before it breaks down completely.

Link comes up to the machine with a wide grin. He tries to smile at Revali rewardingly, but the Rito refuses to meet his eye. Link shrinks away from him, realizing he must have done something wrong to deserve a silent reprisal. Silent is never Revali’s way of doing things.

It doesn’t help the general mood of the group when they discover that the Guardian Scout is only the first of adversaries in the shrine. Where there would normally be a monk sitting at the back of a typical Test of Strength, is actually just a button in the ground. When stepped on, it opens the floor back in the main area, making it appear like the next section of the shrine was downstairs.

As everyone heads back out to the hole in the floor, Urbosa holds Link back at the exit.

“Hey,” Urbosa’s hand is on Link’s shoulder and he turns in her grip to look up at her, “Whatever’s going on with you, you need to knock it off. You’re making everyone upset with your foul attitude.”

Eyes wide, Link opens his mouth to say something. Maybe to apologize? But Urbosa interrupts him with a deep chuckle, “We all have off days. Just don’t make me hate you and we’re fine.” She shoves Link through the doorway and he stumbles before smiling over his shoulder at her. She just waves him off, waiting for Link to rush over to the opening in the floor before shaking her head.

The shrine continues its theme of Guardian trials as the group continues forward through it. Underneath the shrine is a small web of corridors, the floors all being slightly flooded by an inch or two of water. Small Guardian Scouts are littered here and there for the Champions to spar with. All in all, it isn’t too difficult.

They’re able to get their hands on the key pretty easily and the general mood is boosted when Mipha opens a chest containing a Giant Ancient Core in it.

From there they enter the locked room, finding a chamber predictably filled with Guardian Scouts, three of them with the ability to expand with arms holding a mix of weapons and shields. Though deadly, the Scouts aren’t a fair match against Daruk’s Protection nor the fair shot of the remaining Champions.

They pass through the remaining room easily. Each capable of making the amazing leap from the long catwalk to the platform leading past where the gated off section of the room had been. On to the monk of the shrine. It’s with their blessing that the Champions are finally able to leave and move on to the next mission.

Once outside, Link pulls out the Sheikah Slate to see that the last area for them to clear out is up in colder section of the plateau.

Leaning over Link’s shoulder, Urbosa comments, “Looks like it’s time to pull out the old Snowquil already.”

“You say that like you aren’t excited to have the excuse to,” Revali jeers her, though again, avoids Link’s gaze when he tries to make eye contact again. It makes Link frown and he notices Mipha watching the interaction.

He shrugs her way, but she gives him a meaningful look. Then she starts shuffling through her things like Urbosa is doing. Deflated, Link pulls out his own Snowquil and pulls it on over what he’s already wearing. Can’t be too careful.

While the other three get changed, Daruk and Revali wander up some up the mountain.

“Can’t wait to get this horrible thing off my back,” Daruk grumbles, adjusting the One-Hit Obliterator, “Worst thing that’s happened to us in awhile. And we watched little buddy die for real not even a couple of days ago.” 

“Yeah, I’m not sure which is worse either,” Revali huffs, surprising Daruk.

“Now that’s one thing for me to say. Aren’t you supposed to be more caring? He’s your- whatever it is you are to each other. Romance person.”

Revali laughs abruptly, confusing Daruk even more. “I- Ha. I suppose he is. I don’t know…”

“Today’s been a rough day,” Daruk says knowingly.

“It has,” Revali agrees, adjusting his one Obliterator, “Much thanks to these damned things. Link’s been something else today.”

“Maybe that says something about a person’s character though,” Daruk says thoughtfully, “How they handle adversary is just as much their own decision as any other that may make you feel… Well maybe it isn’t for a Goron to say.”

“No, please. Do say it,” Revali urges quietly.

“What I mean to say is, if you can’t stand Link today, then what about later? Under different terms. Maybe even worse terms than this,” Revali huffs a laugh that Daruk chides, “I’m serious! What if? Is that really someone you want to spend all your time… Loving like that? Is that romantic love? I’m not sure…

“I just know, I wouldn’t want to spend all my private time with someone who made me feel like that.”

“Ah,” Revali opens his beak, but shuts it again, nodding. He keeps nodding, his voice agreeable sounding as he responds, “That does sound about right, doesn’t it. And while me and Link have gone through a lot together… Maybe we still have a lot to learn about each other.”

“Sounds like fun,” Daruk smirks. Revali shakes his head, mirth pulling at the corners of his beak.

Down in the forested area still, Urbosa is finishing up her outfit and walking up to where the other guys are waiting for them. Having been done for awhile, Mipha sits and watches as Link fiddles with putting an old feather in his hair.

He tweaks it this way and that before he gets it nicely secured into his one braid. When Link looks up, he finds Mipha staring at him. It takes her a moment to notice, but she jumps slightly when she finds Link staring at her.

“Oh! Are you done? We should get going…”

“Mipha?” Link says quietly, catching her attention easily. He motions with his hands, “Sorry for being grumpy earlier. I got mad about the trial. Pretty easily too…”

“Oh…” Mipha smiles at Link understandingly and comes close to hug him, “It’ll be fine. Though I’m not one that really minded. I am also growing frustrated with this whole ordeal.” She pulls away from him, squeezing his shoulders reassuringly, “Revali, on the other hand, may take more to get through to. He’s rather stubborn, you know.”

Grinning, Link nods and gets up. The pair of friends stay huddled close as they head up the mountain path.

It takes awhile for them to climb up to the next monster camp. The camp itself isn’t really in the peaks of the mountain, but climbing to an advantageous position takes time. Eventually, it’s just decided to teleport to the Keh Namut shrine. Then they’ll set up camp up above the monster camp.

By the time they reach the spot they wanted, most of the time in the day is gone. As predicted. It’s snowing lightly, they’re tired and bone-weary, and no one feels like taking on the monster camp today.

Instead, Urbosa builds a fire close to the mountainside to block off some of the wind chill. Mipha is quick to pull out some of her skins and the blankets Urbosa had saved in her storage. Meanwhile, Link starts a meal in the pot which Revali takes interest in. There’s Tabantha Wheat, Goat Butter, and Hearty Salmon laid out already.

“Daruk, will you be okay just by the fire? We could make a camp somewhere else if the chill is too much for you,” Mipha comments in concern as she realizes that the meager shelter her and Urbosa are making might not be big enough for all of them.

“Here,” Urbosa says, pulling out another blanket from storage, “At least wrap yourself up some. You make me cold just looking at you.”

Daruk chuckles as she wraps him in the blanket, “My skin is tough enough for most weather, but the blanket is nice.” The blanket in question just barely reaching from one of his shoulders to the other. “Thank you.”

Revali tsks as he watches Link flavor the buttered fish with wheat, “We won’t be able to take advantage of the Hearty Salmon anyway. Don’t you have a Hyrule Bass you could use instead?”

Link smiles lightly and shakes his head.

“I have some peppers we can fry up then for a snack,” Mipha suggests, still fiddling with all the blankets and structure. Some rocks she had dug up hold down the fort, while some weapons keep the skins up above her head.

The group works quietly together, arranging the camp and checking up on each other. Urbosa drapes Daruk in a couple more blankets, much to his amusement. Meanwhile, Revali watches the cooking pot until Link presses apart a fish to see how well done it is.

He makes a pleased sound and spoons up a piece of fish for Revali to try. Link holds up the ladle by Revali’s beak, waiting for him to try it.

“What? You can’t expect me to-“ Link just smiles and nudges the ladle closer to Revali’s beak. “Fine, fine, just don’t spill it on me. My word…”

Revali tastes the fish. When Revali makes no sign of disapproval, Link hums happily and starts to dish the meal up for everyone else. Salmon Meunière is one of Revali’s favorites, so maybe Link can make it up to him with this at least.

It does seem to do the trick, at least a little. Revali doesn’t huff when Link gets too close anymore, and he doesn’t act completely disinterested when conversation shifts to Link. It’s nice. By tomorrow, Link thinks, maybe Revali will be back to his loud, outwardly complaintive self again.

Set up to be the impromptu door of sorts, Daruk leans against a larger rock that holds down some skins on the left side of the shelter. As the evening progresses, everyone piles inside the shelter behind him. Urbosa is quick to lean on Daruk, a bowl of fried peppers in her lap. Mipha leans against Urbosa, basically draped over the older woman’s lap in her quest to stay close to the pepper supply.

Meanwhile, Revali sets himself up to be the insulation against the harsh cold of the stone wall in the back. Blankets are rolled to block the worst of it, but it still sends a chill through him occasionally. Link, feeling Revali’s chill in his place between Revali and Mipha, wraps his own blanket over Revali more securely.

They try to sleep like that for the night. By tomorrow, hopefully they’ll all be done with this nightmare of a trial. At least, everyone hopes that except one person. One person who is tucked up against their Rito companion. Anxiety eating at his stomach and putting everything he knows under question.

Brave… Link couldn’t think of a word that fit him less than that one.

Nerves wrought, Revali goes to sleep begrudgingly against the bite of cold, turning his beak towards the heat Link provides.

_Revali blinked as he looked down below. Several groups of Hylian soldiers were crowded under him and the few Rito elite the Elder had released to the Hyrulean King. Together, they meshed for the evening before starting their crusades._

_Revali: age 16, was sent to train and combat the monsters that were starting to plague the lowlands. Upon further review, he and his comrades would pull a select force of these Hylian_ warriors _to assist them to the north in the Hebra Mountains. Up where the worst of the worst monsters were taking as their home._

_Today, however, they were to stay in Hyrule Fields as their two forces met for the first time. It was also the first time Revali had seen Link since the introduction of the league of Champions. Something that Revali aimed to be the best at, just as he had proved himself to be the most valuable assist to the Rito warriors. He would prove himself the most befitting warrior of only the highest profile missions._

_Not that the bar was that high. One of the first things the Rito warriors saw upon closing in on the Hylian soldiers was a Lieutenant berating one of his men for some grievance on the soldier’s part. Revali recognized the soldier’s yellow hair immediately as the Lieutenant grabbed it and yanked it forward before letting go. Whatever Link did, it must have been bad._

_Revali followed his leader as they landed by the biggest tents in the area. Presumably where the fancier Captains or Majors were supposed to be. Revali wouldn’t know or care. All this feather primping on the Hylians’ part always did work Revali’s nerves. These ranks meant nothing. Some of these leaders had never fought a hard battle in their lifetime._

_Revali’s leader released the Rito warriors from his lead, letting them mingle with the soldiers at their leisure. Leisure huh? Revali had better things to do, but the Princess would like if it Revali at least put in some teambuilding with the other Champions. Best to go make use of their ‘leisure time’._

_Searching out where he had last seen Link, Revali didn’t find him until he searched closer and closer to the cooks’ section of the camp. In a massive line, soldiers were waiting to be served along a buffet-styled table in front of the cooking area. That’s where Revali found Link with a ladle in hand. His Master Sword’s handle just barely visible right next to him as it leaned against the table._

_A crooked smile pulled on Revali’s beak as he sauntered over to the front of the line. Hylian soldiers yelled at him, but Revali ignored it all while he pulled up beside the serving table. Link sent him a cursory glance before ladling more gruel onto some unfortunate soul’s plate._

_“I didn’t think the Hylians’ had the gall to send their star knight into cooking duty. Must have done something downright_ devious _to get such a punishment,” Revali teased, leaning on the table to get a good look at that dumb sword. Legendary his ass. Link couldn’t have paid more than 200 rupees for that piece of scrap metal._

_Link’s eyes narrowed, but he ignored Revali’s taunting._

_“What? No bite when you’re surrounded by your fellow knights? Didn’t you know it’s rude to-“_

_“Hey, buddy,” some Hylian in line jeered at Revali, “Ain’t no knights in this mesh line nor behind the kitchen counter. We’re soldiers here, but that doesn’t mean you can push any of us around. You wanna talk to Link like that, you’re talking to all of us like that.”_

_Revali’s eyes narrowed in the direction of the speaker, and he tried not to show his surprise when he got equal glares from other soldiers up and down the mesh line. He darted his eyes back to Link who still refused to look Revali’s way, but smiled ruefully while serving the next soldier._

_Someone knocked into Revali’s shoulder hard, knocking him off his guard. Revali turned to catch his balance and his environment shifted around him._

_Rude and insufferable. Who would reward such a creature to be the Hylian Champion? Always getting in trouble with his superiors. Always sparring and fighting with his fellow soldiers. Always running off from the camp for one reason or another. Always ignoring Revali when he was just trying to be civil and do what the Princess and King and every other authority figure would want them to do! But that’s right, Link didn’t care about authority. Link just did whatever the hell he wanted!_

_Again, Revali caught Link running off from the camp in the pitch of night. Enough was enough. Revali followed him, finding him stopped not too far out. Revali stopped too, not wanting to be seen yet._

_Link was knelt by a big oak tree. Looking to be praying. After a few moments of that, which Revali isn’t sure why he waited out, Link cried out loud and smacked the tree with his fists. It startled Revali._

_In an instant, Link was back on his feet and glaring Revali’s way. Revali felt himself swallow as Link drew his sword. He’d never seen Link so angry before. Link thrusted his sword at him: an invitation to spar. Or to true combat. Revali didn’t think Link was in the mood to differentiate._

_Not willing to take the bait, Revali walked away. Whatever Link’s issues were. They weren’t worth getting put out of commission over._

_Walking away, the scene changed again and again and again. And again._

Revali shifts in his sleep throughout the night, never comfortable against the cold rock wall. Memories, hazy but biting, coming back to him of the less than kind person that Revali remembered Link to be _. Cold blue eyes stared down at him from the other end of a Master Sword. Revali, flat on the ground, could have sworn he saw a smirk._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyo! If I ever couldn't spell the world obliteration or it's current varient Obliterator, those days are behind me. I'll be happy to finish this arch just so I don't have to write that all the time hahaha 
> 
> Anyway, hope ya liked this week's chapter. Thanks again for all the comments and kudos! It means so much and this story is so dear to my heart. It's so cool that you guys support it so much! <3 <3 <3
> 
> I'm starting a new job soon, so the next chapter is going to have to wait for the week after next. I hope you understand. Life stuff!   
> I'll be back with a new update on the 26th! Until then! <3


	42. The Great Plateau

_“Isn’t she beautiful?” Zelda asked Urbosa. And she was. Little Zelda, her lover’s daughter, was a beautiful mess of a baby with droll down her chin and a light suggestion of golden hair crowning her head. They had been waiting all month for this wonderful ball of joy to enter this world. Rhoam was exceptionally proud._

_Urbosa was laying in the royal bedchambers with her Zelda. There was an evening glow about the room. In the Wastelands there is such peace… but it is not the same. The air was cleaner. The sunrays, more meaningful. The scenery… more tender. Almost too tender._

_Slowly, Urbosa raised her hand. Little Zelda was asleep for the moment, but Urbosa knew how fast an infant is too change its mind on that matter. Because of that, Urbosa used only the lightest of touches while petting her small fluff of hair._

_“Could you not stay for a day or two more? I could desperately use your company…” Zelda asked quietly._

_Quietly, Urbosa answered, “I have been here for over a fortnight. My people are missing me. Don’t act like you can’t understand that just because you may claim some innocence. You, I know, are far from innocent.”_

_Zelda smiled slyly up at Urbosa, only doubling Urbosa’s reassurances that all would be fine. “But for I am the most innocent and the most needy, my lion. Won’t you take pity on my poor battered heart and body?”_

_“I have taken pity on your battered body enough as it is,” Urbosa remarked, her voice laced with a roguish tone. Though her tone grew serious as she sobered and said, “I have my own people to rule. I have to go…”_

_“I know…” Zelda sighed, looking back down on her little one._

_Urbosa’s eyes lowered as well, looking on at the sleeping baby. “No one in the land could be more loved.”_

_Smiling gently, Zelda said, “Precisely. That is the way of things, isn’t it, Urbosa? We are loved to one day give that love once again…_

_“Do you see that? I think I can see your proud nature in her brow…”_

“Zelda…” Urbosa murmurs restlessly. Daruk looks over his shoulder at the Gerudo woman, nestled still close with Mipha in the make-shift shelter.

“Best wake her up, Mipha. Link, that food almost done? We’ve got another rough day ahead of us…” Daruk groans. Link confirms that breakfast is almost done for the organic eaters and Mipha looks down at the ball of red hair close by. She’d hate to interrupt an important dream, but the sooner this was all over the better.

Mipha coos at Urbosa, gently shaking her shoulder to wake her up. Bleary eyed, Urbosa blinks back to reality and groans at the harsh white light glinting of the snow.

Another muffled groan comes from the pile of feathers beside them. Revali’s beak clacks as he opens and closes it while waking up.

It’s another harsh day of feeling like the very wind could take them out in one fell swoop.

Everyone eats, quiet and contemplative. There isn’t pain, but an emptiness. A feeling of a hole in their being that is starting to be bothersome for every Champion. Even Daruk, built and set heavy in whatever ground he’s in, feels weak. Scared. Today is another day of countless death.

They finish their meals and rub the snow into their bowls to wipe them clean. Then there is the monster camp to tackle. Tired, Revali recounts their arrow supply. They’re starting to run low. Thankfully they have some fire arrows, all the better to clear out the icy creatures as fast as possible.

The Champions set up along the ridge.

Everyone is tired and weak and in general, upset. Link knows it. He feels it. His eyes linger over to Revali, the Rito’s hard set brow. The tense shoulders and tight posture.

They fire their first volley of fire arrows on Daruk’s command. Many of their targets poof from the impact. They shoot as many as they can. Daruk and Urbosa slide down the ridge once the area is cleared of most of the icy beasts. There they swing their One-Hit Obliterators at the waiting Moblins, sealing their success in the camp.

And maybe it is their over-estimation of the difficulty of the camp, that made it so easy to clear it on the first try. The feeling of relief upon the rising of the Etsu Korima Shrine is palpable.

Inside the shrine, the Champions find it pitch dark with glowing light shining the way throughout. It takes a moment to adjust, but the beginning is also not too difficult. The ease of access they all have puts them on edge. What was the challenge? Where was the next death scene going to be at?

The first room is just a room of lasers. Most stationary. Stasis and a simple ability crouch is enough. The next room doesn’t even require that much. Just that everyone is aware to not scrap again the turning spiked walls. Easy. Anyone could do it.

Link even pockets a sizable amount of rupees along the way.

However, a few of their eyes narrow as the see fire licking around the corridor’s corner. Maybe here.

But the fire grates are predictable and each Champion can easily hop from one section to the next with little trouble. Mipha trades a wary glance with Revali. Who trades a wary glance with Urbosa. Who also trades a wary glance with Daruk. Daruk shrugs, not begrudging the blessings this day has given so far.

Link is looking out at the next room in front of them. It’s ominous and wide and very open with not nearly enough lighting.

He walks down the stairs slowly, only looking back once to see the Champions trailing behind. Just waiting to see what trap he may spring. Thoughtful of them.

Link gets close to the center of the room when Guardian Scouts light up. He can hear the tapping of Urbosa’s heels come up behind him as Link pulls out his Obliterator. He hits the two Scouts on his left, while she cleans up the last one on the right.

So suspicious. So dark. It’s too easy. They can see the monk waiting for them just up the next fleet of stairs.

The Champions take the stairs cautiously. Revali comes close to Link’s side, while Urbosa takes to his right. Mipha and Daruk keep a watch for any threats behind. It doesn’t matter. Light fills the room as they near the top. They’ve completed the Shrine.

“Bit anticlimactic, isn’t it?” Revali mutters. Mipha and Urbosa nod.

Daruk is quick to add, “Let’s just take what we can get. After you, little man.”

Link nods numbly before stepping up the stairs in front of the monk. The other Champions gathered around him below. He places his hand to the monk’s encasement and it breaks away, letting out the smell of mummified flesh and decay.

“Your resourcefulness in overcoming this trial speaks to the promise of a hero… In the name of Goddess Hylia, I bestow onto you this Spirit Orb.”

The orb appears from the monk and floats over to Link, bursting on contact. Absorbing into his being. It’s always the strangest of feelings.

“May the Goddess smile upon you.”

The monk fades away in a blur of light and so do the Champions. Regrouped inside the Shrine entrance, they exit in a tight formation: still unsure about all that had happened today.

Another voice echoes then, much like the other monks they have heard. They speaks to the Champions, “I am Maz Koshia. You have done well to conquer the shrines laid before you.

“You are Hyrule’s beacon of hope. But your trials have just begun. The divine weapon shall lead you…”

Their One-Hit Obliterators start to vibrate. Each Champion pulls out their weapon and it shatters into painfully white-light before them. Every weapon turns their white-light into a beacon that flies into the air. All except Link’s anyway, whose light goes unnoticed as it dulls and fades into the ground.

The other four lights intertwine as they rocket into the air.

“Now that you have proven your power, a new journey awaits. Go to the four locations revealed to you, and reach for greater heights than ever before.”

The monk’s voice is optimistic and it fades as fast as it had came. As the voice fades, a breath of relief leaves the group. Their vitality is restored to them. The empty feeling: filled. Daruk laughs a hearty laugh as they rejoice in their regained life forces.

Link pulls out his Sheikah Slate on the monk’s word, finding four yellow dots that weren’t there before. Each suspiciously placed close to a Divine Beast.

“Is this where the real Beast taming comes into place?” Revali asks, leaning over Link’s shoulder for a better view. “It would be about time.”

 “Is there only one location per Champion?” Mipha asks quizzically, wanting a better look but refusing to shove herself among the boys to see.

Meanwhile, Urbosa holds no reserves and noses in to look and assure her, “There is just the one. Maybe it will be like the Shrine of Resurrection. Just a starting place where we’ll find our next challenges.”

“As long as we don’t have to use some variant of that blasted ‘divine weapon’, I’ll be happy,” Daruk groans, a wide smile on his face.

“Second that,” Revali remarks, eyes still on the map.

“You know…” Urbosa says, checking the map and then their surroundings, “My beacon isn’t too far from here.” Urbosa edges away from the group, looking out over the landscape to the East. “Yeah, come look!” She beckons them over closer to the edge of the mountain. On lower ground they can look down on the plateaus of the Wasteland.

“See down there?” Urbosa points, shading her eyes from the harsher light from the sands and the snow glinting, “That looks new.”

Revali squints his eyes, his attention caught by another sight, “Isn’t that Kass there? And I would bet my feathers he just happens to know a song for that place as well.”

“Would it really be that surprising?” Mipha asks with a small smile.

Revali glares emptily at her. “He couldn’t be more plainly in cahoots with the monks. Is a little open honesty too much to ask?”

Still distracted by the map, Link listens only slightly as he navigates where they’ll go next. They still have a Messenger to pick up from Director Purah. They have these new places to check out. New trials to go through. Then Divine Beasts to move. And Link lets out a sigh of relief.

There are big black splotches of empty map they haven’t had the time to get ahold of. If he can ignore that for just a little bit longer, he’ll be fine.

“Why don’t Link and Revali see what Kass has to say?” Daruk suggests, catching Link’s attention.

Mipha nods, looking at the Sheikah Slate now, “Yes, and the rest of us can go to the Director’s to synch the new Messenger. Here.” Mipha pulls out her oversized pocket watch and holds it out to Link. “Trade me. Then you can message us when you are done. We can come back to this shrine to pick you back up, right?”

Looking at the Slate, Link sees that that would be an option. Down to continue doing things that can distract his mind, Link trades with Mipha.

“Don’t do any of the trial without me now,” Urbosa warns the pair of boys before her, Daruk, and Mipha teleport away. “See what there is to do and report in.”

“Yes, Ma’am,” Revali responds readily, earning a glare for his efforts. The other Champions teleport then off to Hateno, leaving Revali and Link to glide down onto Kass’s position.

Kass stands by the new structure, happily pulling on his accordion just like he would any other day. Just like he had been yesterday.

As Link and Revali land nearby, another monk’s voice calls to them. Kass continues to play, unaffected by the disjointed voice talking so clearly now.

“I applaud your courage in coming here. The locations that will be revealed to you are of trials that will enhance the power sleeping within.

“Do not let your guard down…”

The structure’s beams burst with blue light. Kass’s attention is finally caught and he looks over, perplexed.

“What was that… flash of light? Perhaps my imagination is playing tricks on me. Oh. You two once again!” Kass smiles as he recognizes Link and Revali coming closer to the structure.

“This monument… I admit it has taken me by surprise! My teacher’s unfinished songs mention such monuments, and now one has appeared before my very eyes…”

Revali edges closer to Kass while Link goes up to the monument to inspect the pillars. It seems to have some pictures inside of it now. “And what of these unfinished songs?” Revali asks Kass, making the accordion player pause in thought.

“Yes… The one song is mostly completely… However. My teacher left the world without completely the key verses. I wish to weave the missing pieces together and finish the song.”

“Right, that’s why we’ve meet so frequently,” Revali assures, trying not to be impatient. But Kass has been a nuisance more of late in the back of Revali’s mind. His secretive nature. So unnecessary and unhelpful. It’s obvious that Kass knows more than he says he does.

“Ah, indeed,” Kass amends, looking back longingly at the Divine Beast Vah Naboris, “What happiness I get to feel, singing while the Divine Beast looks on. This one song my teacher left behind… There is a verse about the trials that Champion Urbosa overcame. Please, allow me to sing it for you…”

Kass reaches back to start his accordion, but Revali raises his wing to stop him. “I’m sorry, but it really wouldn’t do for this beautiful song not to be shared with the Champion herself.”

Bemused, Kass lowers his accordion thoughtfully. “I would think you’re correct on that. But that would imply that she is still around. Or do you mean your friend who shares her namesake..?”

Revali gives Kass a flat look, which Link looks over to verify that the reaction is as good as he would expect. Meanwhile, these images Link is looking at, he is finding out, are maps to where the trials must be. Too bad they don’t have the camera rune to capture their locations. It’ll have to wait for another trip.

Revali lets out a long steady breath, trying to remain calm in the face of Kass’s indifference, but all great efforts must come to an end. “Kass, it is us, the Champions of legend. It has been us this whole time. We were reincarnated to take out Ganon once and for all. And I would appreciate it if you would stop acting like you… couldn’t have known that!”

Link frowns as he hears Revali’s voice rise. He looks over again to see Revali starting to wind up, and Link knows he can’t just stay back any longer.

Quickly, Link hops off the monument and over to Revali’s side. He puts a restraining hand on Revali’s wing, catching his partner’s attention. Revali calms for a moment, looking back to Link and really looking _at_ Link for the first time in awhile now, and Revali lets out another calming breath. The passage of air through Revali’s beak makes a little whistling sound, much to his annoyance.

In front of them, Kass chuckles. Revali’s feathers fluff at the sound and he’s back to glaring daggers.

“That is a fanciful tale you tell, Revali. But don’t you think better of me not to think you would use an alias with strangers? I am not as trusting as my kindly face may make it seem.” Revali groans in earnest now, making Kass chuckle even more.

“Still, I have seen your group do commendable things and achieve the unbelievable. I will not hassle you over your chosen monikers. And if waiting for your ‘Urbosa’ to play my song would make you happy, then I will do so gladly. I only wish to help.”

It’s agreed then that Kass will accompany Link and Revali back up to the shrine to meet again with the rest of the Champions. Link sends Mipha a message, telling her to bring Urbosa along and then they fly back up to The Great Plateau.

By the shrine, Mipha and Urbosa are waiting for them, still bundled comfortably in their Snowquil.

“Kass!” Mipha greets him excitedly as they land on the edge of the mountain. Kass smiles as Mipha and Urbosa crowd around the men, ready to hear this new song.

“Greetings, ladies. The snowy caps treating you well today?”

Grinning, Urbosa shrugs, “It could be worse.”

Nodding knowingly, Kass agrees, “The peaks of the Hebra range are their own beast, I assure you. These mountains are nice though. Unexpected even, to have such a cold place so close to the desert…”

“Link said you knew something of the desert…” Urbosa injects smoothly, “Something else about the Champion Urbosa as well. Would you mind sharing what you know?”

Kass speaks happily, a bit of pride showing on his face, “It would be an honor. Here. This is the verse about Champion Urbosa, from my old teacher’s unfinished song…”

Kass starts his accordion accompaniment and sings, “Lightening king of the desert… Naboris’s Champion, the stalwart… The hero’s power shall grow… Seek trials monuments show… One: fight the brute of the sand… Two: chase rings upon the land… Three: throw the orb underground… Champion, trials abound!”

Once his song finishes, Kass looks to Urbosa, “Well? How was the Champion’s song? Do you feel it remembered her trials well?”

A hand under her chin, Urbosa replies, “Yes, I think it captured them very well. Thank you for sharing with me, Kass.”

While Kass and Urbosa exchange pleasantries, Mipha and Link trade back their Slate and Messenger. Then Link holds up a finger, telling her to wait a moment, while he goes and paraglides back to the monument.

Irritated, Revali asks, “And what is he doing now?”

Mipha gives him an incredulous look, making Revali sigh before forcing himself to follow Link so that the Hylian can come back up to The Great Plateau again. 

 Down by the monument, Link is snapping some pictures of the maps to the trials. When Revali lands and sees what’s going on, he gets it. He closes in to the monument and leans against it dramatically, watching as Link tries not to get a glare in any of his pictures.

“Having fun?” Revali needles, expecting some quirky pose or maybe even something close to a retort. Maybe his memory is clouding his understanding though. Link doesn’t do anything Revali expects.

Instead, Link gives a bit of a strange glance. A meeting of eyes that speaks of something Revali doesn’t really get. Maybe resentment? It’s a striking thought that sinks deep into Revali’s gut unexpectedly.

“I see. No fun allowed then. Fine, if that’s the mood. I can be gloomy too, no problem. I’ll just be here when you’re ready to go back up…”

Revali folds his wings and slouches against the monument. Turning his beak, he looks back up at others up on The Great Plateau. Most likely enjoying a much more pleasant conversation than he was. No, it’s almost certain to be better than this lack of communication at all.

_Revali had needed some fresh air. The ballroom was hot and stuffy, too many bodies moving around in such an enclosed space. Revali couldn’t tell how the others handled it so well. Though maybe his feathers had played against me that day._

_Behind him, the ballroom was thrumming with activity. He tried to stop himself, but he couldn’t. He was looking at the King again. Or more accurately, he was looking at the young boy the King had been showboating around all evening._

_Revali had heard rumors about this boy ever since he found the Master Sword several years back. The rumors had only grown to be more and more outlandish as time passed. And you couldn’t believe any tale once it got to the village. Far out as it was._

_But this was the first time all of the Champions had been gathered. A ‘small’ celebrations of sorts to put this king’s higher court at ease. Though it played out as more of a meet and greet. As such, Revali had been dutifully positioned with Urbosa. That was, before he couldn’t take the heat anymore, forcing Revali to take a break outside in the first place._

_By the sounds of the boots stepping up behind him, it looked like Revali would not be allowed to find his peace even here._

_It was a slow arrival. Patient and preconceived. Revali was leaned against the white marble balcony. Long white gloves eased onto the balcony beside him. Revali recognized the colors of the Royal Guard uniform before anything else. It was only when Revali took a good look at the stranger that he recognized him as the boy. The boy with the sword._

_He didn’t look much older than Revali. At least, by Revali’s vague understandings of Hylian age. Not that the boy was giving Revali near as much consideration as Revali was giving him. The ‘Legendary’ Hero was just staring off into the distance. Pretending like Revali wasn’t right there._

_“Can I help you?” Revali asked._

_The boy didn’t answer. Didn’t even bother to stick around. Just huffed and pushed away from the balcony. Already leaving before any conversation could start. What a pest. If that was the attitude Revali had waiting for him in this ultimate mission, Revali had his work cut out._

Link waits for Revali to come back around. He’s got his arms wrapped around one of Revali’s wings and a worried mouth that is getting chewed on pretty harshly. When Revali does come back around, he looks down in surprise to find himself being somewhat held by the other.

Link notices Revali staring at him and leans his head against Revali’s shoulder gently, not letting himself rest completely on it. Link squeezes Revali’s wing. Revali raises his wing to squeeze back best as he can. Link’s here. He’s with Revali and they’re on the same team, working towards the same objective.

Revali guesses there were bound to be some things from the past they would have to let go of to be able to progress in this new relationship together. He just never thought there could be so much to let go of. So much of it determined prematurely by Revali’s first impression of a youth caught in the middle. And Revali did have to remind himself, even now, that Link has always been caught in the middle.

Revali has watched Link come to his own in his destiny. Rediscover what that means and all the sorrows that it had brought to his life in the past. What that means for his future… Revali has sat with Link as the poor boy lets his heart break from the weight of it. All of the time he’s lost, all the people who never got to be there for him because of the size of the beast he’s faced... All alone.

Revali’s eyes dart as he thinks and thinks, and reminds himself that as similar as their roles were… They aren’t anything alike. Link is very much on his own in this battle against evil in many ways still to this day.

Link sighs and pulls away, picking up his paraglider in preparation. Revali watches for a moment as he goes, the warm light glinting and making the scene feel ethereal.

What did Revali do to deserve even a moment with someone like that?

With someone he isn’t sure he can stand to be around for a moment longer. Least he break from the strain that feels like it’s physically pulling him under.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Welcome to Tense Memory Recovery where everyone is disjointed with each other and the author has a hard time remembering what the actual in-story objectives are... HA 
> 
> Looks like Wonk new schedule is gonna kick my ass. Along with surprises on my off days, it's just safer to set updates now on the bi-weekly. I've never had to postpone past that, and damn right I'm not going to start now! Anyway, sorry if any hopes were raised for an update today. Promise. Next Tuesday <3


	43. Lanayru

Daruk’s tired, it’s been a long day. First, Urbosa’s trial details were disclosed in Gerudo Town. She was setting up her meetings with her fellow Gerudo when the rest of them left. They left the new Messenger in her possession.

Then the rest of the Champions traveled to Lanayru. Revali came back from scouting the Zora trial monument, saying there were Skywalkers patrolling the area. Which was just great. It was bad enough that getting up there was basically a nightmare. They couldn’t even safely take pictures of the trial locations without another major battle. Which Revali and Link took up readily, even asking Daruk and Mipha to stay behind and wait. Which didn’t sit well, but Mipha couldn’t tell Link no.

So when they came back, trial locations on that Sheikah Slate, it was another boring couple of hours waiting around for handmade maps to be copied and wrote up again.

And Mipha and Urbosa seemed fine, normal even. Don’t get Daruk wrong. But the other two…

Not that Daruk can spend all his time thinking about whatever couple spout they’ve been having. Daruk has his own concerns to think about. He hasn’t gone back to Death Mountain in quite some time. He’s missing little Yunobo something fierce.

Then there are the weird memories. The phantom pains. Daruk’s been putting on his best face, but everybody’s got something going on. And for this somebody, there was Moliten… Poor innocent Moliten.

Daruk’s been remembering snippets. Moments in passing, just weeks before the Calamity hit. Moliten was so small. He would have had the whole Goron community for support after the fall, but still. He shouldn’t have had to live without his big brother. It’s something Daruk knows he will never be able to get back. Raising Moliten and watching his little man grow up into his own… That’s all gone now.

There’s only right now, in this peaceful Zora community surrounded by religious understanding and healing possibility… and the distance between Daruk and his littlest brother.

Everyone’s gone to bed by now. It’s late, really amazingly late. Daruk’s going and walking the length of the town. Maybe if he rolls his way across the long bridge and back, he’ll be tired enough to go to sleep.

It’s when he’s coming back, he notices something odd. A shorter person, a Hylian, by the Ne’ez Yohma shrine. They’re sitting by the Lotus flowers by the water, picking at the seeds. It’s not really any of Daruk’s business.

Then he gets a little closer and the light glints just right. Link’s sitting there with his Sheikah Slate in his lap. Link sighs. Then he pulls his outstretched hand back and taps at the Slate’s screen. He goes up in the teleporting blue light, disappearing from plain sight. Daruk stops in his tracks, surprised and concerned. Hopefully, the little man isn’t off to do anything too reckless.

Not like Daruk could stop him now even if he wanted to.

Link quietly walks down the hill to Kakariko Village. Surprisingly, there are other people up and about. Link passes one of the guards to Lady Impa’s home on the way. He takes another glance back at him, but doesn’t have the time to talk.

He’ll just have to be grateful that the second guard doesn’t give him any harassment upon calling on Lady Impa at such a late time. Link knows he would have his concerns if anyone were to visit Zelda in the night.

But now isn’t the time to be thinking about that.

The guard accompanies Link and is quick to rouse his lady. She looks bemused and upset when she comes to, but is quick to change her mood when she notices Link not too far away.

The guard walks out as Impa yawns out, “Link. It is rather late for visiting. I would take a guess to say that what you have to discuss is of the most importance.”

Link nods and sits on his legs directly in front of her pillow stack. Impa rubs her eyes of the sleep and straightens herself up more before giving Link a good look over. He isn’t looking at her directly and he’s clasping his hands more formally. Link remains quiet even as Impa waits patiently.

“Link?”

His eyes jump to meet hers before he looks away again.

His voice is quiet as he rasps, “I remember the princess.”

Impa smiles sadly now, and leans forward. “She is something, isn’t she?” Link simply shrugs and keeps his eyes anywhere else. A small smile graces his face before it fades just as quickly as it had came.

“Right,” Impa says slowly, taking in Link’s new, or rather recycled, mannerisms, “As promised. I have something of great importance. Maybe now you will wear it with pride.”

Impa turns to look behind her and pulls out an old flat wooden box. She picks it up and puts it in her lap before rearranging herself to sit properly again.

“Here you go, Link.” She holds out the box for him. Link rises up to his knees to reach the box and sits back down again with it in his lap.

Link lifts the lid slowly, then lets it go as he recognizes the bright blue colors.

_“This is your new uniform. If this fit isn’t correct, you know where Mistress Noel is,” The King told Link. King Rhoam often called Link to whichever room to discuss matters of strategy and tactics in regards to their upcoming war against Ganon. After awhile, the nerves that came with being called on so specially faded away._

_Today they were in the strategy room. The box with Link’s uniform laid on the big round table with the map of Hyrule on it. Little wooden warriors littered the map and guarded the box carelessly at its position on the edge of the table._

_Link opened the box to examine the blue colors and white embroidery. There was something about the clothe type that seemed special. Something even nicer than his regular Royal Guard uniform, which offered its own benefits._

_“Our princess said that she worked with the staff to develop a unique perk to these uniforms. It will allow you to see better the weaknesses and openings of your opponents. Giving you a hand up in the battle… Not that you will be needing it. You have done well to see these openings enough on your own,” King Rhoam gave Link that rare smile, proud of his young champion._

Link blinks, then picks the blue shirt up out of the box. It is older than some of the outfits he’s acquired, but it holds up to the test of time. The fiber is woven still neatly and there is hardly any wear to the seams.

“She worked so hard to get us to where we are now today,” Impa says softly, her eyes still on the tunic in Link’s hands, “Tell me. How have your efforts with the Divine Beasts gone.”

Link hesitates, but then signs, “They are free. We completed a trial as well, a taming trial. They are going to their shrines now.” Impa watches patiently, a small grin spreading on her face.

When Link is done, she claps her hands together and speaks happily, “You remember your old language. I cannot express how happy I am for you. I would sign with you, but my hands and my memory both fail me in my old age. Still, I hope these memories have brought you great joy…” Impa trails as she watches Link grow more sullen and distant again.

“Though, perhaps there is also much hardship. Pardon my inflection. I know not what your life must have been like,” she apologizes.

Link motions for her not to worry about it, shaking his head and smiling fake-like. Lady Impa sees through him, but she shouldn’t pry. Link had always been a private person.

He doesn’t move though. The wooden box stays in his lap, the shirt in his hands. Link’s thumb moves absently at the fabric. Impa has to say something.

She starts, “Do not lose this determination. The battle against Ganon is almost upon us,” She pauses as Link visibly flinches, “Have you your sword?”

Link’s eyes stray and he shakes his head. Impa nods understandingly, “The Princess hide the ancient blade in a most secret location. Even I do not know where it rests… But come in time, I believe you will think of a place to search. Whatever you do, do not lose faith in your ability. Before or after reclaiming your Master Sword. You are our Champion.”

Her words find no positive or reaffirming response. Instead, Link sighs, a long suffering look in his eyes. He closes the wooden box, setting it aside close to Impa. He stuffs his Champion’s Tunic away in his storage.

Not that he is disrespectful. Link performs his bow before he leaves. He makes sure to meet her eyes once more. But he is tired. Impa worries as he walks out, because it is part of Link she had never been shown before. The resolution is gone. Leaving only the pain one carries when there is too much resting on their shoulders.

Maybe she has asked too much of someone so new to this world.

It’s still late, but Link doesn’t think he’ll be sleeping much tonight. That’s why he came. Revali might be missing him, but Link couldn’t stay there in their inn bed. Pretending like he found any ease.

Everything is happening so fast.

His legs just walk as Link thinks absentmindedly. He walks up the hill again. Past the Fairy Fountain and past that field where the deer roam without fear. Not feeling like fighting, he runs past monsters along the stone road past the Lanayru Promenade. A Lynel waits at the end, but Link doesn’t care.

He’s got nothing else to do. He might as well go all the way tonight and see what there is to find.

Link runs, holding up a wooden shield to block the area arrows the Lynel shoots at his retreating back. It’s not the way Link would like to do things. There’s just no time.

It’s only when it starts to get colder that Link takes a moment. The Lynel had stopped pursuing him awhile ago and he can take a deep breath. A big mistake in this chill, but Link doesn’t care. He pulls on his Snowquil in a hurry. Tucks in Revali’s old feather for good luck.

Maybe he should wait.

Link looks up Mount Lanayru, feeling beaten already. He’s spent so much of tonight just getting this far. Just a little bit farther. Link starts trudging again. It’ll just be a little bit farther.

_Link’s mouth was on his beak. Kissing and nuzzling. His fingers were filed through Revali’s feathers, making Revali’s skin light with sensation. It was a lot. It was always suggested in moments like this, that Link could overtake his senses. But this was the first-_

_There was rustling in the camp. Someone was checking the Hylian tents and was getting closer and closer. They were calling for somebody, sounding desperate. Revali looked to Link, both of them terrified of getting caught._

Revali opens his eyes before he can find out who they were looking for. Were they discovered? Revali can’t remember. The effort of trying to remember what could have happened next makes his head hurt.

“Oh, you’re awake,” Daruk’s low voice startles Revali. Revali is quick to look his way, seeing Daruk midstride over to his own bed. “Sorry, was I too loud?”

Revali sighs, letting his head thud back down into the pillow of his double waterbed. The strange material warps and creates a wave affect that flows through the whole bed. “No, I just woke up on my own. How early is it yet?”

“I’d say it’s still night. You should go back to sleep…”

“Right…” Revali hears Daruk lay down on his stone mattress before deciding to roll over and check on his bedmate. See if he’s still asleep… But apparently he isn’t. Revali’s wing flaps down on the empty space next to him. “Hey, Daruk?”

“Yeah?”

“Did you see where Link ran off to?”

“Link? Uh… Yeah. He was taking a breather, needed a walk he said. Fresh air and all that. He’ll probably be back sooner or later. Best to just go back to sleep, who knows how long he’ll stay out there. You know how Link gets.”

“Yeah? …yeah. Alright, then good night, Daruk.”

“Good night, Revali.”

It’s early morning when Link starts to reach the top of the mountain. He got held up some by monsters and his need to pull out food after almost every encounter. But he can’t give up.

Link’s gotten so far and when he arrives at the top he knows it was worth it.

The peak of the mountain is beautiful with strange spears of rock jutting out overhead of an ancient spring. Laying amongst the jetting rock formations is an ice-blue dragon, also looking as tired and worn as Link feels. Though the Malice covering its body offers a better explanation than any Link could offer.

Link instantly feels for the creature and, noticing the eyeballs, pulls his bow to maybe line up a shot. He’s still too far away yet though, so he walks up to the spring slowly with his arrow notched.

He does not make it too close to the spring, however, before the Goddess’s own voice speaks to him. Seemingly from the statue under the dragon’s head.

“You have done well to find your way to this spring. You who have overcame the many trials and obtained the Spirt Orbs…

“The one you see before you is an attendant to the Spring of Wisdom. This is Naydra, the blue spirit of Lanayru. This servant of the Goddess has looked over the spirits of this land for ages, unknown to the world of man.

“However, the dreaded Malice unleashed by Calamity Ganon has possessed its body and reduced it to this state. You who have received the Spirit Orbs… Free Naydra from this Malice. Show what power you can achieve!”

Power…

Link looks on at the dragon and knows what must be done. Still, he never asked for this. He is only doing this for the sake of the dragon. He shoots the eye on Naydra’s face, easily hitting his mark on the first try. He watches as Naydra flings their head violently, now free from a fraction of their pain.

As the dragon flies into the air in a rush, Link wonders dully if Zelda had to ever perform such trials to prove herself to be half of the sealer of darkness that he is supposed to be.

Though perhaps, he thinks as he undoes his paraglider and rides the dragon’s air drafts, maybe if she had had trials like this of her own. Maybe this wouldn’t be happening to them now. Link feels guilty even thinking it, but he can’t understand why.   

The sun rises oh so slowly while Link chases the dragon around. The patterns are actually predictable and slow, unlike the Faron dragon. Link is able to get close and take aim slowly. He isn’t sure if it’s a tell of his new ‘power’ or just… practice. But this feels easy. Feels like second-nature. Revali would probably be proud if he was here to see…

The dragon’s blue scales shine in the early morning sunlight. When it’s finally completely free, it flies back to the spring, winding its way back onto the rock structure above.

The Goddess speaks again to Link as he walks back, “Thanks to your efforts, Naydra, the spirit of Mount Lanayru, has been freed from the grips of an evil power.

“But a single ceremony remains. Now… Loose your arrow through the body of Naydra to free the spirit from this region!”

This is maybe the most authority the Goddess has ever displayed with Link, shocking him somewhat. Well. The Goddess is The Goddess. If she wants him to take a scale, then that’s what he should do.

Link fires another arrow, this time aiming for the snout of the dragon. Naydra flings their head again and rises into a spiral. Apparently now free, it flies off, only leaving behind a single blue scale.

“That is the spirit Naydra’s scale. It serves as proof of the courage you received from the one who served the spring since ancient times. Come… Offer a scale from the blue spirit Naydra to the Spring of Wisdom.” 

Link picks the scale up, carrying it through the water and letting himself get soaked in the water. Maybe he’ll regret that later.

Instead of dropping the scale in the water, though, he sets it up on the prayer platform. First things first.

Link raises his hands to sign onto the stone, letting his prayer draw out, “Goddess. I. Am. One. Of. Your. Own.   I. Come. To. Pray. And. Pay. Homage. To. Your. Image.   To. Bask. In. Your. Presence.   And. To. Honor. Your. Word.”

“What can I do for you, child? Do you have Spirit Orbs for trade?”

“No… Only. A. Wish. To. Pay. My. Respects. And. Ask. One. Question…”

“What question could you have for me?” Her voice is light and breezy, feeling almost uncaring.

“What. Will. I. Do. With. The. Power… When. I. No. Longer. Need. It.”

“Link…” A moment passes before she speaks again, much warmer now, “You never spoke to me as much as you do in this life. Do you know that? Even before your rebirth, you have always talked to me. So earnestly. So caring…

“Link, your soul has done this dance with us before. We three spiral around each other, splinters reconnecting every… Oh. Ten thousand years… Those years that I can have you back in my realm are such wonderful times. You change so much and yet…

“I fear to speak too much. Your Hylian mind…

“Know, Link. Know that your power has never lead you wrong in that mortal realm. You will do right by your people, Champion. Knight of our world…” She speaks the honorifics like pet names, “When your power is used for its purpose, we will continue to live. There will be no need for it until the next time…”

“The. Next. Time.  How. Many. Times.”

“I must go, Link. Please offer your scale to the spring…”

Link frowns, but lowers his hand. Only questions. Every ten thousand years? Is there no end to this feeling he’s feeling now? Surely not. He almost reaches out again, to ask or find reassurance, but he doesn’t. She is still the Goddess.

Link offers the scale. The shrine opens behind the spring.

He never did find another memory for that trip to the Spring of Wisdom from that fateful day.

When Link makes it back to the Zora’s Domain, Mipha’s sitting with her maps spread out again and another Zora sitting with her. The other Zora jumps when Link appears, but Mipha just smiles up at him as he walks over to squat by her.

“We have narrowed down the three shrines to these given locations,” Mipha says happily, pointing to a couple of circled areas.

“We plan to make an expedition at least towards this one before the end of the day,” she continues, pointing at one of them before looking up to Link. Link nods along, though he feels like his head is filled with sludge and his limbs battered by Lynels.

“You know,” Mipha says slowly, jerking Link back to reality, “Revali seems a bit… Well, he was very worried when he didn’t know where you went last night. We told him not to worry, you can handle yourself. Well, you know. Anyway. He is looking for you.”

Link grimaces, but heads to the inn, which Mipha says Revali is waiting for him. Surely enough, Revali is waiting by the cooking pot. Cooking some comfort Rito food. Revali looks up when Link comes near, but his face is scrunched up in displeasure and he looks back to his food without a single comment.

Link slumps into the stool beside Revali. He’s beyond tired, but there’s no time to rest. Maybe if he begs, Revali will just stop being mad. It’s not like any of it really matters.

There’s still so much Link doesn’t understand. The discipline he had grown up and adapted, it doesn’t help anymore. From what he can understand, he’s just a tool. A play thing for the Goddess, who lets them go through these motions every time. And for what?

Link looks over at Revali, still frowning into his cooking pot, and he feels sorry for him for the first time in… probably forever. Revali won’t get to come back. Outside of The Great Plateau challenges, he won’t get half the chances Link will get. Link’s starting to see it. He’s never been in any real danger.

But Revali is. Mipha. Daruk. Urbosa…

No one says anything about the revival of the four Champions. Who are they in the Goddess’s grand scheme? She says she’ll protect them… But she would say that just to calm Link’s nerve. In ten thousand years when he gets thrown back into the fray again… Will they get thrown in with him?

It sounds unlikely.

“Nothing to talk about today either?” Revali finally asks, breaking their silence.

Link jumps, but then settles again, feeling heavy to his bone. No he really didn’t have anything to talk about. What was there to talk about?

Instead of saying anything, Link just pulls out his Champion’s Tunic. Maybe that could distract Revali for a little while. Keep him from prodding.

Revali’s eyes, as predicted, catch on the iconic blue fabric. “That one yours? Where’d you find that?”

“Impa,” Link crocks, unfolding the tunic more now to let Revali get a good look of it.

“You went to Kakariko last night…” Revali says cautiously, eyes lingering on the tunic before looking back to his food. Almost done through. “You spend a long time talking to Lady Impa?”

Link nods noncommittally. Revali takes it and lets go of his ladle to wrap a wing around Link. He leans in close to Link’s ear, whispering, “Well I’m glad your back. You always do know how to raise concern.” Revali rubs his beak back along Link’s scalp and hair. It feels really nice.

Link sighs and leans into Revali. Will he lose Revali in the afterlife? Every ten thousand years, will he have to leave him behind to find another war against Calamity Ganon? Every ten thousand years… Will he just be with Her? Spending time with Her until She lets him go again?

Link should feel grateful. What an honor. But Link’s starting to think… that maybe he’s been objectified down to a tool for a long time. Did any of the people that saw such ‘power’ in him actually care about his well being? Did She even care?

Revali continues to nuzzle against Link so affectionately, and Link can’t take it.

He curls in on himself, gripping the tunic tight, and he feels tight. He can’t tell if he wants to cry or just die, but either way would be a mercy from whatever kind of messed up life he’s been granted.

“I need…” Link breathes out.

Revali curls his wing further around Link, confused and concerned.

“I need to go look for my sword…” Link breathes in and out and he can’t stop himself. He needs space. He can’t keep looking at Revali and know. Knowing…

Why did She have to tell him?

“I could come with you..?”

Link shakes his head insistently. “Help Mipha… I’ll go take Daruk home.”

Link gets up then suddenly, shaking Revali’s wing off him. Revali gets up, forgetting his food entirely.

“You can’t just go! What about the others? Why can’t it wait until the Beasts are ready? Link, answer me!” But Link is walking away already, looking for Daruk, who looks to be taking in the view from the long bridge.

Mipha looks up from the maps to see Revali yelling at Link, both marching towards the other side of town. It would be them to make such an uproar. She sighs and gets up, promising to be back as soon as she can.

“Don’t even think about it!” Revali screeches as they all approach Daruk. Revali’s got a wing on Link’s Sheikah Slate, which Mipha can just make out is set up on the map page.

Daruk looks back to Mipha in confusion. Mipha shrugs, but interjects in the fighting nonetheless.

“Boys, _boys!”_ she yells as she starts positioning herself between the two of them, pulling at the Sheikah Slate herself. Revali has the best grip on it at this point and surprisingly lets it go to her easily. Link sulks as she pulls it to her chest and looks at them skeptically back and forth. “I take it you have some progress to report?”

Revali looks to Link pointedly, who looks off in the water. Link looks like he might just want to jump off to avoid the question.

Revali sighs, “You know, we’re past this right? We don’t need to keep things to ourselves. We can talk, like adults I might add, to figure out a plan that best suits all of us,” In a less haughty voice, he adds, “And you can talk to me. I thought that was pretty clear by now.”

Link keeps looking off into the distance and Revali’s face tightens. Knowing Mipha and Daruk won’t just let Link run away again, Revali marches away. Muttering something about something burning.

Daruk looks to Link, questioning, “Buddy..?”

Seeing the tears unshed behind Link’s eyes, Mipha gasps lightly before quieting herself. She looks down at the Sheikah Slate to see the cursor hovering over the shrine in Goron City.

Link signs when he meets Mipha’s eyes, “I know. I’m tired and I know. I…” Link lowers his hands and he looks so defeated. It feels deeply wrong to see him like this.

Mipha looks to Daruk before she makes up her own mind. She pulls out her Messenger and holds it out for Link. “Take this. Me and Revali will go to some of my shrines. Why don’t you stay with Daruk? Take a nap? I’ll message you if we need help.”

Link doesn’t look like he wants to agree, but he takes the Messenger anyway. He nods absently, then walks back towards the inn. Probably passing Revali on his way.

Daruk turns to Mipha then, miffed, “What was all of that about? And why am I being put on babysitting duty?”

Mipha sighs, shaking her head. “Link has something he’s going through. I don’t know what, but when he is ready he will tell us. Until then… We just have to make sure he doesn’t do anything reckless. Don’t let him get into the fray for a little bit. He’s tired so that should help…”

“Mipha, why can’t he just talk to us?”

“I don’t know,” Mipha shrugs, remembering that broken look, “But whatever it could be, we have to be supportive. This is bad. Worse than anything I could remember… Or at least that I could hope to remember…”  

“Okay…”

Mipha gives Daruk a sad little smile and shrugs again, holding the Sheikah Slate tight. “I’m sure it’ll be fine. Link will come around if we just give him time.”

“Why don’t you just stay and talk to him yourself? You’re the only one he’s really talked to… with all those hand signals and all. Ever since he returned from Faron.”

Mipha frowns and opens her mouth before closing it. Then she says, “You two don’t talk?”

“Not really, no.”

Mipha thinks about it before nodding, reaffirming, “I’ll take Revali away for the day. If anyone can help Link through this slump, it’s you.”  

Shaking his head, Daruk chuckles as Mipha walks away, assumingly going to collect said sad bag of feathers. Looks like he’s got is work cut out for him yet. Never can just have a boring day with this lot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Angst Angst Angst Angst Angst Ang  
> So that's this chapter! Next chapter maybe Link will take a nap and then maybe feel better
> 
> Next chapter comes out the 26th. Bi-weekly now being the norm!   
> Hope you guys liked the chapter and I'll see ya later <3


	44. Lanayru

Daruk waits by the bridge until he’s sure Mipha and Revali have gone, watching the two dip down off the side of town to head up the waterfall towards their next shrine. Then he slowly makes his way over to the inn.

The Zora are nice people and they wave to him sometimes as he passes. They’re such a frail race, but slippery. You have to admire such an able race.

When he makes it to the inn he looks for Link, finding him in him and Revali’s waterbed. The little guy’s all tuckered out. The bed’s a mess, sheets tangled up and loose pieces of clothing strewn everywhere. Daruk’s eye catches on what he supposes is Link’s Champion’s Tunic. Strange he never wears it.

Daruk spends much of the day puttering around town. Can’t do much life coaching, or whatever it is that Mipha thinks will happen, until Link gets back up. Face the music and all that.

Mipha and Revali still haven’t came back by the time the sun starts to lower. Daruk is determined not to worry about it too much. Right now, he’s making something at the communal cooking pot at the inn. Or at least, he is trying to.

He’s trying to make one of those dishes like the ones he’s seen his fellows make for themselves. Something with plants? Hylians like plants right? The nice Zora innkeeper lady says to add some spice to it. Daruk doesn’t know what plants do that, but he does know that a little coal goes a long way. Link probably won’t even notice.

When the plant-based food is done, Daruk keeps it on a low simmer on the pot. The innkeeper says she promises to watch it for him while he goes wake Link up. She has such a nice smile.

Daruk gingerly pushes at Link to wake him up. It takes a couple shoves, but the Hero peels an eye open.

“Want some dinner?” Daruk asks simply, just willing to get something in the little guy first. Link nods groggily and that’s how they end up side by side by the cooking pot.

Daruk tries not to take it personally when Link takes one bite out of his food and then says he’s not hungry.

But that means that they’re just sitting there awkwardly now, Link with a bowlful of uneatable rock-hard greens and Daruk with a head full of uneasiness. This would be easier if this were Urbosa being morose. You can just beat the tar out of her a little and she starts beating you right back. It’s great. She comes around.

Little guy is a little bit harder.

Eventually Daruk just says it cause he can’t think how else he could go about it, “Why can’t you just talk to us about what’s going on? It’s obviously very important, whatever it is. You know we’ll help if you let us.”

To Daruk’s ire, Link just rolls his eyes. The little guy sets his bowl to the side and crosses his arms.

“Hey, I don’t need the attitude,” Daruk says with a little edge in his voice. Link’s eyes dart to Daruk’s fearfully before he looks away. Daruk groans cause that isn’t what he wants. He lowers his head into his hands before just letting one drop so that he can keep a good eye on Link’s reaction.

Daruk’s got his attention at least. Link’s frowning his way, crossing his arms tighter around his person. Would think that the pebble would burst if he didn’t hold himself together tight enough.

“Look,” Daruk offers, “You don’t _have to_ explain yourself to me. Just… you’re going to be okay, right?” Daruk looks off into the crowd in town, and sighs, “We’re all going to be okay. We’ve got each other and in the end, isn’t that all that matters?”

Daruk’s words wash through Link’s head. And maybe he’s right. Link knew he could trust Daruk’s wisdom. And there is some undeniable truth to it. Physically, they probably all were going to be okay. The Goddess will make it so. If anyone, Link has faith in Her.

Just… The near audacity of having something to be considered like immortality with his own person is… It’s blasphemous. Or it would be? If it were anyone else but him…

Caught in his own thought, Link looks back at Daruk’s concerned face. Large hands, threatening to hold him and crush him until he feels better. Link doesn’t feel particularly bad at this moment. He just… Once he gets through the sheer enormity of it all. Then he’ll probably be fine.

Link won’t talk about that. He doubts he’ll be able to put any of it to words for awhile. Or maybe ever. Link can’t think of a single moment going forward that he’ll have the will to speak. It’s who he is. A quiet hero with the weight of the living realm on his shoulders…

He can’t even find it in him to feel a loss to it. There was never anything for him to lose.

Daruk is still watching him as Link thinks and Link slowly nods before putting a reassuring hand on Daruk’s forearm. Link will be fine. That’s also part of who he is and what others expect of him.

Daruk smiles warm and slowly before shoving Link’s arm away to then wrap both his arms around Link. They spend the rest of the evening in companionable silence. Only ever once in awhile Daruk will interject some remark or another. A comment about the weather or a sigh in yearning for Goron City.

Revali and Mipha return as it’s starting to get dark, welcomed by another meal that Link had spent time teaching Daruk how to make while they waited. This one, Link thinks ruefully, without so much of a crunch.

The other two Champions are hesitate to approach, but happily do so when Link smiles at them and motions to the meal in a way that seems apologetic. Humble. Mipha gives Daruk an approving look as she sits down next to him.

Revali is only a little bit more hesitate, watching Link carefully. Link doesn’t say anything, but his face is meshed into a regretful smile. Something has changed, though he can’t put his wingtip on the what per say.

Link dishes out the meal for the other two. Mipha starts into a report on the shrines. They were able to complete that section of the trial and now are meant to move on to her Divine Beast. She says she must go alone. It’s a test of her strength in many senses, but most of all in her will. She doesn’t plan to fail.

Daruk and Revali design to wait on dam for her and Link agrees. He wants to see what it’ll look like when she finally is able to find control.

And with that out of the way, the evening wraps up before Link knows it. Daruk is the first to get up and Revali uses the excuse of cleaning up the meal to leave as well.

Leaving Mipha to quietly contemplate Link. He’s fidgety.

“You and Daruk had a good day?”

Link nods absently, still fidgeting. And Link thinks about it. Everything he’s dealing with and what his friends are so worried that he’s just handling on his own. It’s just him coming to terms with… himself. His lot in this world.

Earlier he was upset, ready to lash out at anything. Yell. Now he isn’t content, but he… He doesn’t have anything to say. The words just aren’t something he could put on anyone else.

Mipha doesn’t seem satisfied with that simple of an answer though, so she pushes, “Will you talk to me about it?”

Link frowns, tensing. He signs, “No. In both ways. I need to stay silent now. No more speaking even. With everything, the Goddess… Who I am… I hope you understand. It’s for the best.”

Mipha frowns. She opens her mouth to speak, but then shuts it again. Then clumsily, she signs, “Is this about what was going on earlier today?”

He signs, “No.” Goddess save him if it makes him a liar. “Just what I need to do. For myself. To feel better.”

Frowning still, Mipha asks in sign still, “What was it earlier then? Are you okay?”

Link is quick to it now, he signs, “My destiny. I was upset after talking with Lady Impa… I’ve calmed down.” Link offers a shy smile. He is calm. It is his destiny.

Mipha is smiling now, reassuringly. “I know it must be hard. I too have my doubts… Do you trust me, Link? To look after you, no matter how wounded?”

Link is smiling now, having lead her free of his mess of concern. “I know you will. Just like I know you will tame this Divine Beast. I believe in you.”

Mipha blinks, her eyes watering slightly before she signs, “Love you, Link.” She gets up then to kneel by him and wrap him in a hug. She’s a little damp and gentle and Link feels the sincerity of her being envelope him. He could always count on Mipha. He need to make sure that he continued to be someone she could count on it turn. It wouldn’t be fair otherwise.

They part, Link sending her his own ‘I love you’ sign before she shyly makes her way back to her cave bedroom. She almost bumps into Revali on the way out, his wings filled with the bowls and the cooking pot.

Before she goes, she says something quietly to Revali. Something Link can’t make out, but knows it’s about him from the way Revali’s expression changes. His eyes searching out Link’s face.

They say their goodnights and Revali approaches the sitting area to put the pot back in its place. He gives Link what Link can only think to describe as a long-suffering look before putting the bowls away too.

While Revali does this, he starts talking, “What I would have given for you to take this vow of silence the first day we woke up. Your insolence knew no bounds, I would swear,” Revali turns to smile dryly before continuing, “Now I fear I may never hear your voice again. I respect your decision, of course. I just… _Don’t think_ I’m letting go of how strange last night was just because you’re doing this. I know you better. With you, there’s always more to be said…”

Revali turns fully to Link when he’s all done and he says, “Not tonight however. Knowing you, you’ll hold it for maybe a week before you spill. And when you do spill, just know that I’ll be there.

“What we have isn’t like what the others have with us. Why, today Mipha even went to the embarrassing trouble of telling me that she couldn’t have asked for a more annoying younger brother… The insolence…

“What I’m trying to say,” Revali ruffles, readjusting his stance against the stone frame behind him, “Is that we have a certain… admiration and. Well. I would hate to lose that over something as trifle as this war against Calamity Ganon. It is nothing in comparison to this… affection we have between us.

“And since you don’t see fit to talk, then you’ll hear out everything I’ve been thinking over today,” Revali continues, chittering now in his nerves, “I’ve been through this with you before. Before I knew you so well. This silent you… It isn’t the you I know of you now, but it is a part of you. A harsher part of you. Originally, it was what first drew me to you. You used to bring out my most competitive edge…

“Do you remember any of that? The campaign or the… the tension? Could absolutely be sliced through like ages old goat butter…”

Link smiles, only remembering the very idea of what it must have been like. Nothing of the campaign sticks out to him yet, but he’s sure it’ll come with time.

“And now you’ll just see fit to smile at me, stupid as you look, with no comment to make. Which I suppose suits you just fine, doesn’t it?” Revali mutters out, crossing his wings. Link rolls his eyes as he gets up to walk closer to Revali.

“It can’t be easy to walk in your place,” Revali tells Link suddenly. Now that Link is standing not even a foot away from him. “It can’t be easy and I used to be so angry because I thought it was. But where does that leave us… now, Link? You know me and I know you… I know you’ll come around eventually… Isn’t that right?”

Revali’s eyes search out Link’s own and he sees the hesitancy there.

Revali lets out a little huff and shakes his head. “Never mind that for now. You won’t be open to share for awhile yet. It isn’t fair to ask if your mind will change when it hasn’t had the time to do so.”

He leans it just a little closer then, and whispers, “Will you at least come to bed tonight?”

Sadly, Link shakes his head. He’s too awake from sleeping all day. He needs to go, do something. Anything. Revali looks crescent-fallen, but he huffs amicably enough when Link leans in to kiss his cheek.

“You’re such a pain,” Revali mutters. Link gives him a wary smile, as if suggesting that maybe it was worth it. Revali huffs for what feels like the millionth time. “One I couldn’t live without.”

Link smiles even wider. He’s quick to reach up and card his fingers through Revali’s feathers, kissing his cheek and then side of his beak, and hugging him then even closer. Slowly, Revali wraps his wings tight around Link, squeezing him tightly. None of this was ever going to be easy. Revali’s known that ever since he first meet Link, over a hundred years ago.

They separate from there. Revali: getting ready for bed. And Link, he looks at his map of Hyrule to see where he could go next. There are some shrines marked down that he could go visit… He’s stronger than he used to be, but there is always room for improvement.

When Revali closes his eyes, after he was sure that Link had long since teleported away, he returns to that moment in their tent. Link’s fingers through his feathers and the combined heat of a warm night and desperation. He’s back in the panic from their fellow warriors looking for him.

Tonight Revali remembers receiving the news of his mother’s death. Adrenaline high. The half-sympathetic, half-indifferent, look that Link tried to give him. Revali remembers and he wakes up later, his blood running hot.

Everything happened so long ago, but it still cuts deep. He’d had time to mourn in the past, but Revali can’t remember that now. Just pain and grief.

Link comes back about an hour before dawn, finding Revali sitting up in bed with his letters spread out on his lap. He gives the Rito a questioning look, but doesn’t ask. Doesn’t have the will to ask when there are so many questions he knows Revali would ask back.

Instead he strips down and lifts up the blanket to curl up close to Revali’s side. Revali huffs quietly before lifting a wing to allow Link underneath it. Link squeezes Revali’s side with one arm splayed over the Rito’s waist before he dozes off. Easily tired out from the grind of gathering as many Spirit Orbs as possible.  

When light hits, Revali nudges Link awake. They’re all tired, but Daruk, Link, and Revali try their best to get up and eat before heading towards the dam. Sidon is waiting for them in the plaza, looking excited and pleased.

Mipha is waiting for them at the top of the dam, her Divine Beast right behind her. No one is sure what kind of trial is waiting for her, but they give her encouraging words and hugs before she turns and dips cleanly into the water behind her.

As she leaves, she hears the parting hollering of her supportive friends and family. It drives a determination in her that sends her faster through the water until she is already at the landing of her cute little elephant.

Though she shouldn’t think of such a massive beast of destruction as cute.

Mipha uses her Messenger to access the elephant. Everything is calm before she enters the room with the Main Control Unit, where the doors lock on her.

A disconnected voice greets her, “For you who have come to reclaim the Divine Beast Vah Ruta. May your courage and wisdom see you through this hardest of trials.

“See now: the memory of your largest foe and rival. Scourge of Divine Beast Vah Ruta. Waterblight Ganon!”

Mipha feels like her entire world shifts. Her being grows lighter. When she clutches to her belongings, she finds they have been removed or replaced. Leaving her with only a few supplies and even fewer weapons to fight with. What is this?

A black image passes her eye and Mipha whips her head around to try to pin it down. The image is gone, leaving only an eerie silence. Behind her someone coughs, naturally catching her attention. Behind her, laying on the slightly flooded floor is Link.

He looks wounded, blood once again draining out into the water around him. Mipha quickly rushes to his side, trying to use her shaky understanding of her true healing magic to stop the bleeding.

When he coughs again, blood and phlegm gather at the corner of his mouth. His eyes start to slide close.

“Link, no, stay with me! Keep your eyes open,” Mipha pleads, not sure why she can’t stop the bleeding. Maybe she should just wait for it to end. Bring him back to health through resurrection. Oh, but if she could spare him that…

“Oh, what should I do. What should I do,” Mipha says a little desperately, not even sure what Link is even doing in here. He said he would stay behind. He looked too tired to fight.

“Give… Give me…” Link tries, coughing.

Mipha’s blood runs cold. Link wouldn’t…

Link’s face straightens out as her healing magic stutters in the moment. He grows rigid in her hands and something in his eyes turn red. Behind her, Mipha can hear the screech of the Waterblight.

He looks wrong. The blood stains his black and white outfit, so different from anything Mipha’s ever seen him in. His skin looks deathly pale and yet somehow he’s standing up to rush to protect Mipha’s exposed back.

In this Link’s hands he already has his Master Sword as well as a shiny shield with the Hyrulean emblem on it. A loud crash sounds as the first blow of the Waterblight lands directly on the emblem.

Mipha turns on her side, feeling the shaft of her trident waiting in the water. Unsure why it is there, Mipha grips it tightly. Unwilling to ever let it go now. She stands up, still behind Link as he closes distance on the Waterblight.

“Give… me!” Link groans as he swipes at the Waterblight with his sword. It glows with an amazing blue light.

The disconnected voice echoes in the chamber as the clashing of trident on shield continues, “Let courage and wisdom guide you…”

Nothing makes sense, but Mipha knows only one thing for sure. This Link and her both want the Scourge to leave its haunt.

Mipha joins Link in the fight, landing blows with her longer weapon while he swipes more as a distraction to the Scourge. The seed of Ganon only just starts to weaken when Link suddenly groans, “I need!”

The Scourge roars as it starts to flood the room.

With wild eyes, this Link reaches out for Mipha. With no time to react, Mipha gasps as this Link’s hand goes through her chest. Clenching onto something deep inside her, something that thrums along to her core. Her heart?

She could never be sure, as the Link is destroyed in a puff of smoke when the Waterblight spears him down. Gasping, Mipha grips onto the scales at her chest. Scratching to make sure whatever it was that he had grabbed, hadn’t left.

The rest of the battle goes in a blur. She has to dodge quickly, swimming as fast as she can to avoid all of the chilled ice the Waterblight can throw at her. Still, with her dexterity and strength, she just manages to tame the beast.

The Waterblight falls in screeching mess onto the final platform they had fought on. Mipha just manages not to be landed on as it falls into a pile of Malice and smog. Slowly, the platforms lower as the water drains.

Mipha finds the strange version of Link, red eyes still and all, holding himself up over the Main Control Unit. His face is still screwed up in pain.

“I… I need… Give…” He begs as she comes closer. Never, Mipha thinks, have she ever thought of Link as so pitiful. Suddenly, it strikes her as not such a good look on him.

Knowing that this may very well just be an illusion of the trial, Mipha only smiles softly as she too leans onto the pedestal of the Main Control Unit.

“What do you need, Hero?” Mipha almost jokes, raising her hand daintily to move aside a strand of white hair from his face.

“Need… Soul… Your soul!” Link groans, a snarl curling on his lips near the end.

Mipha huffs lightly, “Only that? You know I would give so much more.”

“Then give-!”

Mipha puts her finger on his lips, silencing him, “But only to the real you. The actual Hero who will actually save us all. Whatever your function as a duplicate as him serves, understand that given the circumstance, I would give my entire being to him if necessary. As it has always been and always will be. Even after the war. I plan to always look out for Link.”

When Mipha takes her finger away, a pleased smile lifts onto the bleeding Link’s face. His eyes roll back into his head as he smiles happily. The white in his hair, gathered on his skin, it all dissipates in a strange cloudy mist. Revealing longer wheat-colored hair and the prettiest white dress Mipha’s ever seen.

Mipha looks back up at the transformed being to see someone she feels she should know, but doesn’t. The girl in front of her is young like Link, a Hylian. She’s wearing the Tri-Force in the accent of her golden belt.  

“Mipha…” Her voice is gentle, blue eyes happy to see her. That voice. It’s the voice of the Goddess. Is this her true form? Mipha’s breath is taken away at her beauty and her humbleness. To walk among the mortal in these dire times…

The Goddess’s hand reaches forward and rests her hand on Mipha’s chest right under her collarbone.

“You love him just as I do,” The Goddess says softly, captivating Mipha with her voice. “This is where your strength comes from. Just as his comes from how he loves you.” The Goddess’s eyes grow sadder, if only temporarily, before she lightens up again.

“The band of your power as mortals gathers in how you love each other. Give him this,” She emphasizes by reaching into Mipha’s chest and touching the energy inside her, “A favor from you to him. Only then will the Hero truly be able to overcome Ganondorf… Only then will he ever be allowed to return to me…”

Mipha isn’t sure what everything the Goddess says, means. Is Ganondorf another name for Calamity Ganon? What is the feeling in Mipha’s chest that Mipha would be giving away? What does the Goddess mean that Link will then return to her? Mipha supposes they all return to the Goddess’s true realm when they die…

None of it makes sense, but Mipha has faith in the Goddess. The Goddess lets go of Mipha’s energy and lightly disappears into the thin air. Leaving Mipha to her Divine Beast and a strange feeling in her chest.

A knowledge that she had one more present to give to Link before the day is over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't get much time to beta this myself, so please if you see a lot of writing errors, let me know! Everything is kinda accumulating with this story, with maybe ten more chapters to go? So, again, thank you guys for reading! Hope to see you again in the next two weeks. 
> 
> April 9th being the new update date. 
> 
> Wild that this story is a year old now <3  
> Love ya guys, see ya then!


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